It was all Snivellus' Fault
by aliceinwonderland2000
Summary: The Blame Series I. James and Lily meet the summer before first year and fall in love. It's only completely natural that they should be together. So why aren't they? Well, it was all Snivellus' Fault. AU Better than it sounds PLEASE R&R.
1. Chapter 1: Swimming

_**Well hi there guys**_

_**I'm aliceinwonderland2000**_

_**And this is the story Messy Black Hair**_

_**It's a Lily/James fic, which I KNOW has been done a thousand times, but I think that they're sweet. So I'm writing another one.**_

_**I'm not going to tell you much, because that would be cheating, so you'll just have to read on to find out about how this is different to all the others.**_

_**Have fun!**_

_**(Oh, and this is my first Harry Potter fic. So be nice!)**_

_**Loves ya**_

_**Aliceinwonderland2000**_

_**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**_

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZADRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss Evans_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1__September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

I sat on my bedroom floor staring at the sheet of parchment in front of me.

It still astounded me that I, Lily Evans, got accepted for a… magic school.

And, from what I've read (which is a lot), we're not talking bunny rabbits out of a hat magic here.

We're talking full on spells and cauldrons.

Ha! Tuney's soooo annoyed.

She's been round at Piggy's for about three hours now.

If I hadn't seen the size of my twin sister, Petunia's new boyfriend, I would be afraid they were doing something they definitely shouldn't be.

However, unfortunately for me, I _had _seen him.

Shudder.

I didn't think I would ever recover from _that _experience.

Vernon, or Piggy as I called him, much to my darling sister's annoyance, was about the size of a small whale.

He was so up his own arse he came out the other side.

Ha! Tuney would _hate _that.

Still, at least she _had _a boyfriend…

Unlike me, of course.

The closest thing I had ever had to a boyfriend was a boy I had met on holiday last summer.

I swear, it was love at first sight.

Even though we were only like eleven.

We met on the beach, and within minutes we had wondered off, hand in hand.

We walked along the cliffs, and through the caves.

We meandered through the rock pools, dodging the occasional crab.

It was a holiday I would never forget.

A time of perfect peace, with a boy I loved.

Yes, I loved him.

Even though I was only eleven, and we had only known each other for a few days.

I knew that I loved him.

I knew that I loved James Potter.

_**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**_

I stepped out of the little boat, grabbing onto the side,

I was always a little clumsy, and I did _not _want to fall in the lake before my firs day at Hogwarts even _started._

It would be just like me though…

I heard a splash behind me, and I turned around.

A small boy's head was floating just above the water.

_Why wasn't anyone helping him?_

He struggled to get up above the water, but it was no use…

He was sinking.

I gave up waiting for someone to help.

I put my hand luggage down, stripped off my top layer and dived in.

Just like in swim class.

I swam over to the boy as fast as I could. I could now understand why he was struggling to hold his head above water.

Sure, it was only a lake, but it had a current.

And the current was strong.

And the water was cold.

My breath began to hitch in my throat. I knew what was happening.

I was scared.

But I just looked at the boy, concentrated, and swam across to him.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…

I grabbed the boy as soon as he was in grabbing distance.

And then I started the journey back.

And if I thought the swim here was bad…

The current was even stringer, and I was even heavier, because of the boy, now unconscious, I was holding on to.

I pulled him onto the shore.

"Sorry" I whispered

and then I slapped him round the face as hard as I could.

He woke up.

"Hi" I said. This boy looked strangely familiar, even with his hair pulled right across his face.

Even when you couldn't see any of his features.

"I'm Lily" I told him

"James" he replied, and then pulled his hair back.

We both stared at each other in shock.

It was, of course, James Potter.


	2. Chapter 2: Not so friendly introductions

**Okay. I'm sorry.**

**Really, I am. I would give excuses, but I can't be bothered. Let's just say that I am supremely lazy and sorry.**

**And that my maths teacher sucks.**

**But…on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: OMG I OWN HARRY POTTER!!!!! … Oh, wait. I lied.**

**POVs: James, Lily, Snape**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

Eyes like emeralds stared into mine, mirroring the shock that must have been in my expression.

I could have kissed her.

Except…

I was soaked through with lake water.

Trust me, James Potter, to fall into the bloody lake! On the first day- before school even started!

Typical.

And trust Lily, sweet, kind Lily, to pull me out again.

Lily Evans…even her name made my heart lift and my stomach do back flips.

"Lily!" Someone called, and the moment was lost. A slimy male voice made Lily's beautiful name sound all wrong. My eyes flicked to the owner of the voice.

And they were greeted with a slimeball.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked him irately, unable to contain my anger.

"James!" Whispered Lily, and for a moment I was lost in the joy of hearing her say my name (even if she was telling me off)

And then Slimeball McSlimerkins broke that silence by announcing "I'm Severus Snape. And _you _must be James Potter" he spat my name out with disgust.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, then came back with "Who told you that, Snapey? The Slime Pixies?"

"No, I did" Lily cut in. I looked into her magical face again, and got lost in her immeasurable beauty.

Again. How many times now?

"You shouldn't have wasted your breath, Lil" said Snape. I glared at him. How dare he call her Lil! How dare he! She _hated _being called Lil! _Hated _it! It's what that toerag of a sister called her. How _dare _he!

In the middle of my mental rant, Lily got up, reached out a hand and pulled me to my feet. I saw the shock in her eyes at the touching of our skin- a tingle, like electricity. For one instant, I saw it in her eyes…

And then it was gone.

"See you, James" She muttered, and walked towards Snape. He put his arm round her, leered at me and then walked off with her.

I had the small pleasure of seeing her swat his arm away, the rejection on his face.

But mostly, I was taken up by a crushing feeling of heartbreak, and then a wave of determination.

Severus Snape would never have Lily Evans. Never.

He wouldn't take her first kiss.

He wouldn't wrap his arms around her when she cried.

He wouldn't hold her hand in Hogsmede on summers days.

With everything I had, and with every ounce of my being, I swore to myself.

I wouldn't let him.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At the sorting ceremony- Lily's POV**

I tucked the memory of what had just happened behind a door in my mind, and concentrated on the scene in front of me.

There was a black, crooked hat placed on a silver stool at the front of the room, behind which was a large table, with all the staff sat at it.

Looking across what I assumed was the dining room (judging by the cutlery and crockery), there were four more large tables, with groups of students sitting at each one.

If I looked closely, I could see that each of the students had an image stitched onto their uniform that mirrored the image on the flag above the table that they were sitting at.

This was my method. For distracting myself when bad things happen. It was working, but I could still hear the memory of the last scene trying to get out of the door in my mind, and that made the smile on my lips droop a little.

Then, a man with long, silvery hair matching his long, silvery beard stood up at the staff table. Everyone immediately drew silent, so I assumed this was either Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts and discoverer of the uses of dragon blood, or a very respected teacher.

Personally, I was going with the Headmaster theory.

He gave a short speech, outlining his joy at the new year commencing, and motioned to the black crooked hat.

At which point, to my great surprise, the scruffy hat began to sing.

_A thousand years or more ago,  
When I was newly sewn,  
_

_There lived four wizards of renown,  
Whose names are still well known:  
_

_Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,  
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,  
_

_Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,  
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.  
_

_They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,  
They hatched a daring plan  
_

_To educate young sorcerers  
Thus Hogwarts School began.  
_

_Now each of these four founders  
Formed their own house, for each  
_

_Did value different virtues  
In the ones they had to teach.  
_

_By Gryffindor, the bravest were  
Prized far beyond the rest;  
_

_For Ravenclaw, the cleverest  
Would always be the best;  
_

_For Hufflepuff, hard workers were  
Most worthy of admission;  
_

_And power-hungry Slytherin  
Loved those of great ambition.  
_

_While still alive they did divide  
Their favourites from the throng,  
_

_Yet how to pick the worthy ones  
When they were dead and gone?  
_

_'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,  
He whipped me off his head  
_

_The founders put some brains in me  
So I could choose instead!  
_

_Now slip me snug about your ears,  
I've never yet been wrong,  
_

_I'll have a look inside your mind  
And tell where you belong!_

Oh. How odd.

At least it was in tune…

Oh God, she was calling the first name…

"Edgar Bones" A short, chubby boy went up. A few moments passed, and all the first years held our breath. And then…

"Hufflepuff!" The hat boomed, and the table with a badger for a symbol erupted into applause.

"Caradoc Dearborn" "Raveclaw!"

"Dedalus Diggle" "Hufflepuff!"

"Benjy Fenwick" "Ravenclaw!"

"Lily Evans" Oh god, it was me. I sucked in a big breath, and staggered forwards. Then I tripped on my robes, and everone laughed.

Could it be more embarrassing?

The gave a weak smile, and the table with a snake as an icon started chnting "Hufflepuff" in whispers. I got even more nervous.

The hat was put on my head. Nothing happened.

Oh Christ! What if they made a mistake! What if I wasn't really a witch! What if-

"Hello Lily Evans. I can see into your head. Yes, you're a witch, of course you are. You're destined for great things…great things" The voice was smooth as silk yet croaky as a toad. I didn't trust it in the least. I tried not to think that, but it was too late.

"Oh yes, I know you don't trust me Lily Evans. Ravenclaws never do. And you'll be great in Ravenclaw- great. But what is this? I sense…bravery. Strength. Hmm. Very interesting."

Oh God, everyone was staring. Why couldn't he decide already!

"Ah, impatience, a strong trait of a Slytherin…very interesting. You're very difficult Lily Evans."

"MY GOD JUST CHOOSE!!!" I yelled out, and everyone in the hall jumped, and a low chuckle ran through the room. I blushed an even deeper scarlet.

"Very well. Judging by your actions…intelligence, courage and impatience to an extent. Impulsive. But brave. Always believe, Lily Evans. Always believe, to the last day. GRYFFINDOR!!!"

Finally! A gargantuan roar erupted from the Gryffindor table, with the Lion flag. I grinned nervously, and stumbled down to the table. I felt numerous pats on the back, and several people shook my hand.

I sat down next to a girl around the same age as me, but, seeing as I was the first Gryffindor to be sorted, I decided she must have been in the year above me.

"Hi. I'm Lily" I told her nervously. She looked at me and smiled warmly, which reassured me.

"I'm Andromeda" she told me. And, as she did, her hair turned from the normal brown it had originally been, to a luminous pink. I gasped and stared.

"Oh, I'm a metamorphagus." She said kindly.

"A meta-what?" I carried on staring.

"A metamorphigus. I can change my appearance at will."

Oh my god. That is so cool.

"Geez, I wish I could do that!" I smiled up at her, and she laughed.

Andromeda. I think I've mad a friend.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV**

I watched her from across the room, as she sat next to a slightly older girl with brown hair.

My heart sunk. Gryffindor! Of all the houses, why _Gryffindor?!_

Why not Slytherin?

Why, oh, why, not Slytherin?

She chatted to the girl beside her, whose hair promptly turned luminous pink. Wow. Metamorphagus. Why did bloody Gryffindor get that as well?

I turned my attention back to the sorting. I was near the back of the line.

"James Potter" _Him._

That boy. The boy who stole _my _Lily's heart.

Lily is mine. She always will be.

I'll never let someone come between us.

"Gryffindor!" Oh Merlin, he was in the same house as her! WHY??? WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS???

I spent the next few minutes ranting in my head. Potter…why?…Gryffindor…why?…thief...why?…unfair…why?…Merlin hates me…why?…why?

"Severus Snape" The call pulled me out of my inner rant. I sloped up to the hat, and it had barely touched my head when it called out "Slytherin!" The noblest house burst into applause as I swept over.

But my joy was tinted…by a niggling thought in my head.

For the first time in my life, I wished I was a Gryffindor.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed that.**

**Laters x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	3. Chapter 3: The Confusion Begins

**Okay, I do know that I already updated today. But I wanted to update again.**

**Oh, and the reason for the change of the name starts in this chapter**

**And I probably should have mentioned this before, but Peter Pettigrew got sorted into Slytherin. BECAUSE HE IS NOT BRAVE SO WHY THE HELL SHOULC HE BE IN GRYFFINDOR???? Wierdo.**

**Anyway…we need a replacement for him in the Marauders. Cue Frank Longbottom. Because we're all secretly in love with Neville, just a little bit. Don't deny it, you know it's true.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah I don't own Harry Potter. Do you have to rub it in JK?**

**POVs: James, Lily, Snape**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV (In Gryffindor common room, after dinner)**

I looked across to where Lily was sitting by the fireplace with the metamorphagus girl and a small, spiky haired girl with a mischievous smile across her face.

"James? James? Gone into La la land?"

I jolted back into reality and looked at the owner of the rich voice that had just spoken to me. Sirius Black. A distant cousin on mum's side. Seems like he's quite like mum too; a black sheep in the family. (ie not racist and crazy)

Of course, I didn't actually know he existed before an hour ago, but as soon as I heard him say he was a pure blood and that his last name was black, it hit home.

My mum, Dorea Potter, was a member of the super-posh-pure-blood Black family.

And when she married Dad, Charlus (Not Charles, Charlus. Please.) Potter, she became a member of the slightly-less-posh-but-still-pure-blood Potter family.

I grinned at Sirius. "Well, mate, I wouldn't call it La la land…"

"Lily land, perhaps?" Remus Lupin, on the other side of me asked shrewdly.

"Um…well…" _How did he know?_

"Dude, you've been staring at her since we came into school. It's kind of obvious, mate" Frank Longbottom grinned at me.

"Yeah…well" I could feel myself going red.

"Personally, she doesn't look like the fall-in-love-at-first-sight type to me. But then" Sirius winked at me "I'm more into blondes than redheads"

"Well…actually…"

"You've met her before?But I thought she was a muggle born? Where'd you meet her?" Frank asked

"France"

"France?"

"Oui oui, mon ami. She was on the beach, when we went last summer with my cousins- well, very distant cousins, even more distant than you, Sirius- The Riddles. Their son, Tom, he's a lot older than us, so he just buggered off. And poor little James was left on his own on the beach"

"And so poor little James found Lily?" Remus asked, with a gleam in his eye.

"So he did. And we spent the whole holiday with each other. Man, I even thought…" I trailed off

"You thought what?" Frank probed slyly

"I kind of thought…"

"That you were in love with her?" Remus questioned gently. I nodded slightly.

"Unlucky mate. No offence or anything, but she hasn't even looked at you. Or spoken to you. Or-" I cut Sirius off

"Yes, yes, I know. But, the thing is…" And I told them the story about me falling in the lake ("Oh, that was you! I was wondering which idiot fell in the lake" – Remus) Lily pulling me out ("THAT WAS A GIRL?? I COULDN'T SWIM IN THAT LAKE!!!" – Frank) And the scene with Snape ("Slytherin scum" – Sirius)

"Well, it's quite simple mate" said Sirius.

"What?"

"Evans obviously likes the Slimeball better than you. So we have to do something about this."

"What?"

"Well, it's just like this" he grabbed my arm, and pulled me over to where Lily and co. were sitting, and then plopped down in between the spiky haired girl and the metamorphagus on the sofa.

Oh Merlin.

"Aw, Lily, you haven't got me next to you! Sorry Lil. James, will you do the honours?"

Oh Merlin's beard.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV**

James was stood there, getting redder and redder, whilst the (really good looking) mate of his grinned at him, with his arms around Alice and Andromeda.

Then, slowly, he walked over, and squeezed in next to me. I looked at him awkwardly, the sent a "Help me!" glance to Alice. She did her mischievous smile and mouthed "no" to me.

"James, you're completely squishing me. There is not enough room on this sofa!"

"No problem gorgeous. I have the perfect solution."

And Sirius stood up. Oh, thank god, they were leaving…

And then he walked over to me.

Oh no…

And then he picked me up, and dumped me on James' lap, then went back to where he was sitting before. I tried to wiggle out of my uncomfortable position I was in, but the space that I had been sitting in, had vanished mysteriously, and in it's place was a brown haired friend of James', who was chattering away to Alice.

Traitor.

**Half an hour later**

WHY WAS I STILL SAT ON JAMES' LAP??!!

Although, I had to admit, I'd gotten used to it now.

And it was kind of comfy here…

No, Lily. NO!

Oh shut up. Be honest.

Yes. It is very comfy here.

There. I said it!

Especially now James had snaked his arms round my waist…

Lily Evans! SHUT UP!!!

Okay, okay.

Whilst I was having my inner conversation, I didn't notice that Sirius and Andromeda had wondered off, and that Frank and Alice were now sitting on a different sofa.

So, I was left sitting on James' lap, with no-one else on the sofa.

Oh, bloody hell.

"James?"

His head jerked as if I had pulled him out of a train of thought.

"When did they leave?" we both said at the same time. Then we both laughed, and I felt my body shift to make me fit into him, like a jigsaw. We fit in so perfectly together…

LILY SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!

"Um…do you want me to get off your lap?" Please say no, please say no, please say no…

"No. Um, well, unless you want to…"

"Um, well, no. Not really."

And then he smiled up at me, and I felt myself melt into a puddle onto the floor. And then, completely by accident, our lips met.

Heaven.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV**

I couldn't stand it.

The Slytherin common room was luxurious and stunning, but I couldn't stand it.

I needed to be with Lily. To protect her from…_him._

James Bloody Potter.

My imagination was tormenting me. Lily in James' arms…Lily kissing him…Her first kiss with HIM…Him caressing her cheek…Him slipping his hands…

No. They were only eleven for Merlin's sake. Nothing was going to happen. She wouldn't be stupid. Not with him…

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

The kiss ended, reluctantly on both parts and I looked into my own personal angel's eyes.

"Lily?" I said quietly

"Yes?" She whispered back, her voice ragged with emotion.

"Will you go out with me?" I looked into her eyes. I shouldn't have.

I say confusion, but the rest I couldn't read. She seemed to mouth Severus…no. She wouldn't…

"No. No. I can't James. I'm sorry, I am, and well, I wish I could. But I can't. I just can't." She got up and stumbled away, tears in her eyes.

"Lily…" I whispered brokenly. And then Remus was by my side, hesitantly putting his arm around me, Frank had left Alice and next to me…and Sirius popped his head next to mine.

All three of them looked at me sadly and worriedly, and for a moment my spirits lifted. My first day, and I already had such loyal friends as these.

"James-" said Remus gently

"Mate-" Frank chipped in

"What happened?" asked Sirius.

I closed my eyes, and envisioned the scene that had just occurred. I looked up at them, and gave the most honest answer I could.

"I don't know"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Dramatic, much?**

**Snape has a dirty mind. You may be able to tell, but I'm going to put him through HELL for the next seven years of his life. James knows that it's his fault Lily won't go out with him, so he's going to get REVENGE!!!**

**Excellent…**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	4. Chapter 4: Flying and Poison

**Wow, I have a bit of an obsession with the whole updating thing right now…**

**Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter guys.**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter.**

**POVs: James, Sirius, Lily, Snape**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

I woke up bright and early…twenty minutes late.

Remus had been up for at least an hour and Frank was wandering around, bleary eyed, so I was guessing he'd only woken up a few minutes before me.

Sirius was still snoring on the bed opposite me.

"Why couldn't you get him up, Remus?" I grumbled at my gentle friend. He grinned back and said

"We already tried. Four times. The guy just won't get up"

"Oh really?" I stumbled out of bed, grabbing my glasses and my wand on the way, and staggered over to Sirius. He looked like a little baby. You wouldn't have the heart to wake him.

_You _wouldn't. _I _would.

I lifted my wand up and pointed at Sirius, remembering the spell Dad had taught me a few years ago.

"Aguamenta!" Water poured out of my wand, hitting Sirius with some force straight in the face. Judging by the spray, it was quite cold.

Sirius opened his eyes, only to have the freezing cold water splashed into them. With a roar he jumped off his bed and on top of yours truly.

"Scum! Water squirting Scum!"

"Slytherin boy!"

"Same family, mate"

"Aw damn" Well, that insult failed "Can you get off me now?"

"Hmm…"

"Please?" I looked up at him doing my puppy dog eyes

"Ugh! That's disgusting! Don't EVER look at me like that again" He jumped of me and scrambled across the room.

I laughed out loud, brushed myself down and started getting ready.

"How late are we for breakfast, Frank?" Sirius asked. He checked his watch and said "Well, we need to get down there and eat in the next ten minutes, or we'll be late to class."

"Ah well. It's only lessons" I shrugged.

"Our first lesson is flying, James" Remus chuckled.

"WHAT?! Get your lazy arses down to breakfast, slackers!" I yelled, "Go, go, go!"

The others laughed and then saw I was serious, and anger was blazing in my eyes, and they hurried out of the room and down to breakfast.

Ha. Nice to know I have such power over them.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**In flying class**

Oh great. Just great.

We had to share flying class with the bloody Slytherins. And you know who that means…

Snivellus.

That was our new name for Slimy Snotty Severus Snape. Snivellus.

What a git.

Anyway, he was in my flying class, showing off like nobody's business because he'd flown a broom three times before in his life.

Ooh, just amazing.

_I'd_ been flying around since before I could walk. And _he _thought he could fly better than me!

The class commenced when a stocky blonde with her hands on her hips announced that she was Madam Hooch.

She then gave us all a (rubbish) broom and told us how to get on it.

Yawn.

Then – joy of joys – she let us try to set off.

Of course, I set off straight away.

Lily, who I was keeping half an eye on at all times, tried, failed, and toppled to the ground.

Her friends Alice next to her got a few meters in the air, then went the same way as Lily.

I snorted with laughter.

Sirius, of course, was up in the air with me, looking down at all the flailing imbeciles.

Remus was whizzing around a few metres below us, and Frank was trying with all his might to get off the ground.

Failing, but at least he was trying.

All Snivellus' little Slytherin mates were banging heads and generally being idiots.

Unfortunately, Snivellus wasn't there with them.

Damn. I would have liked to watch him fail.

I scanned around for him, and spotted him, having now flown over to Frank.

Slimy git.

Frank got slightly up in the air, and then Snivellus pushed him down onto the ground, onto his face.

GIT!

"Oi, Snivellus! Yeah, you Snape! Come and pick on someone your own size… well, at least as big as your greasy nose"

He pelted up to me and started cursing. I yawned it was really very uninteresting.

You know the drill, family's a disgrace to the name of wizardry, ugliest person on the planet, can't even do magic.

Then he hit a nerve

"No wonder Lily won't go out with you, no wonder she hates you–"

"Oh, you _really _shouldn't have said that, Snivellus" I cut across him. I rammed into his broom with mine, hard, and he toppled off, flew through the air, and crashed onto the ground.

"Nice one mate" said Sirius whilst everyone else gathered round the whimpering and wailing moron.

"Oh for God's _sake _Mr Snape! It's just a broken wrist! My cat has dealt with worse than broken wrists without even a whimper! Shut up your moaning, I'll get you to the hospital wing. It won't take Madam Pompfrey two seconds to fix you up you silly boy" Madam Hooch ranted at Snivellus "Should have kept your eyes on where you were going…remarkable Mr Potter didn't fall off too, but obviously he's a much better flier than you, you useless wimp."

Oh, she is so my favourite teacher now.

I grinned at Sirius. He grinned at me.

Then I looked at Lily.

Uh oh. She did not look happy. I pointed this out to Sirius and he snorted.

"Surely, she can't think it was poor, innocent James Potter?" He grinned at me.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV**

Ah, what fun to be had when breaking Snivellus' bones.

Hours of it, my friends, hours of it.

After a short introduction to Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs (Yes, we found out that all our lessons would be shared with either Hufflepuffs or Slytherins. Great; Snakes and Duffers) we trudged down two flights of stairs and into the dirty, dark, dingy dungeons.

It figures that the Snakes hung out down there.

A fat man flung open the Potions classroom and boomed "Welcome, welcome. Good to see some Slytherins in the midst of you! Good to see the Gryffindors too, of course. But nothing quite like the Slytherins, eh kids?"

I glowered at him. I'd heard enough about bloody Slytherin and how good they were in my 11 years than anyone deserved to hear in a lifetime.

And this was the head of Slytherin, Professor Slughorn.

Ignore him, ignore him, don't make eye contact…

"Is that Sirius Black?!" Oh Merlin

I glared up at him, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Only one that's slipped the net out of your line, lad! Course Andromeda's in the same house as you, but she's only a very distant relation" Don't talk about Andromeda, you stupid fat man! She's about as related to me as James is!

"Err…can I go in now sir?"

"Certainly, certainly! Always keen at Potions the Blacks are! Always keen…"

Oh Merlin help me if I have to put up with this for the rest of school.

I sat next to James at the back, and Frank and Remus sat on the table next to us. Frank settled his gaze on where Alice was sitting, and didn't look away for at least ten minutes straight.

James was also looking towards that area of the room, and when I followed his line of sight, I saw that Lily was sat next to Alice.

I smirked, and nudged him. He woke up from his Lily-based daydream that he was undoubtedly in.

"What?"

"You were staring at Lily." I told him "Again"

He narrowed his eyes and told me to shut up.

Charming Mr Potter.

The lesson began and I slipped into the daydream state. I was thinking about Andromeda. Her hair, her eyes, her lips…

"Mr Black?"

"Wha- Yes sir?"

"Can you answer my question? Where can you find a Bezoar Stone?"

"Um…two places. A potions storeroom, or the stomach of a goat"

"Very clever, Mr Black, very clever" chuckled Slughorn

Oh shut UP!

We were set off making a simple potion- a boil cure potion. James, sat next to me was struggling a bit, much to my surprise. James seemed to be good at everything.

Although he was struggling, he was doing it right though.

Snivellus walked past and bent over James' cauldron.

"Oi, get away from that Snivellus" I hissed to him "James doesn't want grease ruining his potion"

Snivellus glared at me and stalked off. James and I sniggered.

At the end of the lesson, Slughorn addressed us again.

"Well now, who thinks they've done it right? Anyone brave enough to take a taste? It won't do you any harm…if you've done it right."

"I'll do it" James stood up and grinned out to the class.

Trust James.

"Yeah, I'll do it too" I sighed

"Excellent, excellent! Well, Mr Black. You first." He handed me a vial and I filled it with the purple potion, then took a swig. I swished it around my mouth and then swallowed it down. The class looked on with trepidation. I looked back then said

"Tastes like chicken" The class roared with laughter. After they got over it, Slughorn chuckled

"That's right, that's right. That's what they always say. Now, Mr Potter?"

"Bottoms up" muttered James as he poured it down his throat. He swallowed it down and then smiled to me and said

"Chicken Sirius. No, more like beef ma-" and then he cut off. His breathing sped up and hitched in his throat.

"James?" I asked him "James, mate?" Then he started choking.

"James?!" I yelled

He collapsed on the floor, steadily turning purple.

"Someone get Madam Pompfrey" cried Slughorn as I dropped down on all fours, and started taking James' pulse. It was rocketing past 250.

Merlin's Beard.

I put my hands in the right position they taught us in muggle school, then began steadily pressing down on his chest. 30 presses and I gave five breaths. 30 presses, 5 breaths, 30 presses, 5 breaths, 30 presses, 5 breaths, 30 presses…

Madam Pompfrey and Professor McGonagall burst into the room as I bent down to give him another 5 breaths.

Professor McGonagall (also my head of house) pulled me off James and Madam Pompfrey lifted James up and carried him out of the room. I went to get up and follow them, but McGonagall kept me where I was "You've done all you can now" she told m in a low voice. I stared up at the gobsmacked class. Every single on was staring at me in admiration and awe. Except one. Snape looked like they'd cancelled Slimeball Christmas.

"You!" I launched myself at him

"Argh!" He screamed as I jumped on top of him, just as I had done with James that morning, but now it was a whole different context

"MR BLACK!" Shrieked McGonagall, and she pulled me off him. I struggled against her

surprisingly strong grasp

"Professor!" I gasped "It was him! He bent over James' cauldron. He sneaked something in! He poisoned James!" He tried to hide it, but the guilty look on his face said everything.

"You evil, slimy git" said Frank

Remus just stared at him with a look of contempt and disgust that I never thought he would be capable of. He didn't need any words.

The entire class stared at Snivellus, and I had the great joy of seeing him shrivel in the wave of hatred radiating out of every single person.

So, every cloud has a silver lining.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV**

No…Severus wouldn't…he just wouldn't

At lunch, I saw him trudge into the dinner hall, so I slipped away from my seat. I beckoned him to follow me, and saw him turn on his heel.

I walked out of the castle and onto the grounds. Sev followed.

In the shade of a big oak tree, I turned on him.

"Did you do it?" he didn't answer.

"You did didn't you?"

"Yes"

I stared at him, anger flaring up in me, and I knew he could see the flames building up in my eyes.

"But Lily, I swear, I _swear, _that I didn't know it would do that. I thought it would just make it taste horrible, or make it look all wrong. I thought it was just a stupid joke, I swear. I swear Lily."

I looked at him.

I opened my mouth to say something.

Then I closed it again.

"Lily, Lil. Would I lie to you. I _can't _lie to you. You _know _that."

He called me Lil. I hate that name.

"Whatever Sev. Just…don't play any more stupid jokes." I walked off, but not before I could see the relief on Sev's face.

I smiled. I'd been right to believe him.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV**

I didn't think she'd fall for it.

For a moment, I think she'd found me out. But then it was gone.

I would have loved to gloat, but I don't want Lily to hate me.

He broke my wrist, and humiliated me! I needed revenge.

And, poisoning him with the monkshood had been a brilliant idea on my part. Of course, I knew it would react with the dried nettles and create a potentially deadly poison.

A wonderful idea, eh?

Shame it worked out how it did.

I mean, I didn't really want to _kill _James, so that was good. But he seemed to be in a lot of pain, which was even better.

Just a shame that I got found out. If it wasn't for that Black…

Well, what do I care about him. He'll be punished anyway, by his family, for being in Gryffindor.

Which is probably a lot worse than I could ever do.

So, apart from being found out, it was a good result.

Especially because Lily thinks I didn't mean to poison Potter.

An excellent result.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**God, don't you just hate Snape? What a git.**

**Btw, Andromeda and Sirius aren't so closely related in this as they are in the books.**

**So it's all good.**

**Hope you liked it…**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	5. Chapter 5: Observations

**Okay, so I guess the whole "update every day thing" didn't work yesterday, but that was because my computer WOULD NOT TURN ON. Why couldn't I use the other computer? Because only this one has the plan on. Remember to PM me if you have any ideas for their first year =)**

**Hope you like this chapter**

**Disclaimer: I wish.**

**POVs: James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV – In the hospital wing, the day after the Potions incident at the end of first lesson**

I blinked slowly and a room began to materialise before me.

I blinked again and I could start to see dark bulks in the shape of beds, chairs, tables and stuff like that.

I blinked a third time, and realised that no, I couldn't do magic by blinking, I was in the hospital wing, and that I had a horrible pain in my heart.

And I was guessing I'd just come round from something…

Oh, yeah. Potions.

It all came back to me. My heartbeat loud in my ears and heavy in my torso, a crushing pain slicing across my chest…falling…Sirius doing CPR (Yuck, Sirius kissed me…oh well, I suppose it did save my life etc. But still!) And then black. Cold, dark black.

Madam Pompfrey bustled over, and forced me to drink some foul tasting medicine which eased the pain in my chest.

I settled up in my bed, looking out of the window, onto the grounds, near the lake. It was an excellent position; I could see most of the secret corners that people went when they were skipping lessons and hiding.

I stared out across the mass of students coming and going from their classes, and misery swept over me. This was my second day of lessons – I'd asked Madam Pompfrey how long I was out for – and I was lying in bed, recovering from a poisoning. All alone.

So yeah, it sucked.

In the sea of people, I spotted Sirius, and my spirits rose slightly. He was walking across the grounds, to a secret corner that we'd found on the way to flying class. He met up with a girl there. A girl? He hadn't told me about any girl.

But then again, it shouldn't surprise me. Even I knew Sirius was good looking. A lot better looking than me.

I tried to tell who she was, but she looked really…well…average. Plus she was quite far away, so I couldn't see the detail of her face. Brown hair, average height, average weight.

And then, Sirius said something to her, and her hair blushed.

Her hair blushed?

And then the sickle dropped. The metamorphagus- one of Lily's friends. What was her name again?

…

Andromeda! Andromeda, of course!

She was in the year above us. Some distant relation, I think.

Mind you, almost everyone in the wizarding world are distant relations of me.

And the ones who aren't are muggle-born.

So, why was Sirius meeting up with our distant cousin? Hmm…

I mean, come on. He couldn't have pulled _already!_

I know I kissed Lily and everything, but that's different. We've known each other for ages! But it's only the third day with been here.

I was just talking myself out of it, saying that Sirius couldn't have pulled already (because that would mean he succeeded, and I failed, because Lily said no) when…

They started kissing.

And not just a quick peck either. I mean a full on making out session. Where was Sirius putting his hands? I wondered, and then I realised.

Bit early for that…

They broke apart after (I timed) 7 minutes and 43 seconds, and then just strolled off in opposite directions! Casual as you please!

I grinned to myself. I was going to put Sirius through hell for this.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At lunch**

Still debating how to torture Sirius best, I spotted another of my close friends.

Frank was wondering over to the same spot Sirius had been in.

It's surprising, really, how many people I'd seen kissing this morning. Loads. And I swear there was one set that were both boys…

Ew.

Frank was stood there, and I think he was tapping his foot. Then, all of a sudden, a tiny pixie-like girl with black spiky hair skipped up to him, and jumped at him!

I was concerned for his safety, when I noticed that instead of falling to the ground or running away, he'd caught her, and was kissing her!

What was going on with my friends today?

There was Sirius and Andromeda, Frank and…pixie girl. I did know who she was…I'd seen her before…

Then the sickle dropped (again). It was that friend of Lily's! Alex or Anna or something…

Alice! That was it!

Okay, so Sirius has kissed a friend of Lily's, Frank has kissed another friend of Lily's, and I've kissed Lily.

Only Remus left…does Lily have another friend for him? I reminded myself to ask her…

Frank and Alice didn't last as long as Sirius and Andromeda; only 3 minutes 26 seconds. Tut tut. Slacking.

They broke apart and I smiled. They both, as far as I could see, looked really happy. More than that- positively ecstatic. It was…sweet. And I never want to describe one of my friends and his secret girlfriend like that again.

Well, at least I knew I'd never be describing Sirius as sweet. The day Sirius gets labelled as sweet is the day that I kiss my cousin Narcissa. And that REALLY isn't going to happen.

However, despite the irritating knowledge that two of my friends had pulled successfully and I'd been rejected, I could feel a silver lining forming.

Frank was another person that I could torture about his secret girlfriend.

Yes!

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At the end of the school day**

The rush of student across the grounds woke me up from a daydream I'd been having about a certain fiery haired beauty…

I was looking out for faces I knew, and without much waiting I sighted one.

Remus! Who was _he _meeting? Surely it couldn't be that ALL of my friends had pulled. Surely not? Surely-

Then I saw he was hurrying across towards the big tree that had been planted in the summer, that Professor Dumbledore had warned us about at the feast.

And he was with Madam Pompfrey.

I immediately ruled him having pulled. Madam Pompfrey, and Remus? No.

So what was happening?

I sat on tenterhooks for a good twenty minutes, and then saw Madam Pompfrey scurrying back to the castle, like the devil was on her heels.

And that was when I saw them.

Lily – my heart leapt – and Snivellus. I was filled with hatred.

Evil git.

I could see they were talking, by the lake. Ugh! I wanted desperately to be able to hear them!

And then Snape kissed her.

A thousand insults flew through my mind, as I stared, furious, all thoughts of Remus and Madam Pompfrey forgotten.

For a split second, their mouths were together, just as mine and Lily's had been two nights ago.

And then she shoved him off. I filled with relief.

She stared at him, gobsmacked and as far as I could see a little angry (but that may have been hopeful imagination) as the slimy git stumbled to the floor.

He stared back up at her.

She started walking.

He scrambled to his feet and caught up with her.

She didn't even look at him.

I sat back against my pillows with mixed feelings. Yes, I was glad that she rejected him (the memory of her kissing _me _for at least 20 consecutive minutes pushed itself forward and brought a smug smile to my lips) but at the same time I was angry. Insanely angry.

Revenge was due for Severus Snape. And, lucky for me, I had three friends who I knew would be more than happy to help.

Positively overjoyed to help.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Mwah ha ha ha ha.**

**It begins.**

**Hoped you liked it**

**R&R please!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	6. Chapter 6: Passageways and Plans

**Okay, so the whole "update every day" thing didn't work.**

**Again.**

**So now, it's update every other day, and every day if I can. That's okay, right?**

**Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the story so far and like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Me? Own Harry Potter? Yeah, right.**

**POVs: James, Sirius**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

It was nice to stretch my legs again, after two days in the hospital wing.

I wondered down the deserted corridors, knowing full well I'd be late to Charms, but really I did have a good excuse.

The Hospital wing was on the fourth floor, and Charms on the second.

But, I had to go and get my bag and books from the Gryffindor Common Room, which is all the way up on the seventh floor.

Oh, damn.

So now I was back on the fourth floor, walking as slowly as possible.

Oh, damn.

Then, without even realising what happened, I tripped on a random wand lying on the ground, and went flying to the end of the corridor, smashing my head on the large wall mirror.

Oh Merlin, I really didn't want to have to go back to the hospital wing- it was right next to the mirror, I just couldn't go there _again._

My train of thought trailed off when I saw that the mirror wasn't a mirror.

It was a door.

And the door was wide open.

Well, I couldn't pass an opportunity like _this, _could I?

Screw charms, I'd catch up next week.

But then…would it be fair to go without the others?

Especially Sirius?

Just as that thought came into my head, a certain dark haired individual came up the stairs, to see me lying on the floor.

"James?" Sirius said, panic in his voice, "James?" He ran across the entire fourth floor hall and skidded to the floor in front of me.

"Sirius!" I cried, and then pointed to the mirror-door.

"Merlin! Is that…a door?"

"Yep. Come on; let's have a look, eh?"

So I stepped through the door, and heard Sirius step through behind me. He shut it from the inside, and we were plunged into darkness.

"Lumos" we said in synchronisation, raising our wands at the same time.

We grinned, and then walked down a long set of steps.

"Where d'you think it goes?" Sirius whispered

"Dunno. Might just go to somewhere else in the castle."

"Hope it doesn't go into a classroom" That reminded me…shouldn't Sirius be in a charms class?

"Why aren't you in charms?" I asked curiously.

"Said I felt ill. It was too boring without you and Remus. Frank just sat staring at Alice the entire time-"

"Wait, wait. Remus isn't here?"

"Yeah, McGonagall told us he's ill. Didn't you see him in the hospital wing?"

"No…Sirius, listen. Yesterday, when I was sat up in bed, I could see almost everything on that side of the castle. After lessons, I saw Remus and Madam Pompfrey walking – hurrying – in the direction of that tree that Dumbledore told us to keep away from."

"The whomping willow?"

"Yeah, that one. And then, about 20 minutes later, Madam Pompfrey came scurrying back- without Remus! And now he's "ill" but not in the hospital wing?"

"Seems so. Err…James? Did you see anything else?"

"Yeah. A couple of things…"

"Such as…"

"Well, Sirius, it was really odd. There was this girl and this boy, in that spot we found on the way to flying class the other day. And, even weirder, they started _kissing! _Right there, and not a quick kiss either. It lasted over 7 MINUTES! Can you believe it?"

"Err…no?"

"And, even stranger, they just broke apart and wondered off? Isn't that weird, Sirius?"

"Err…yeah. Did you…um…see who they were"

"Well, I think I know who the girl was. You see, the guy was quite tall, had black hair, quite skinny. He looked kind of familiar…but anyway he said something to this girl…and her hair _blushed!_ It went from brown to pink, Sirius. Imagine that! She must be that Metamorphagus from the second year. Funny, isn't it? I just can't put my finger on who the guy was…oh well" I smiled to myself "It'll come back to me."

I turned to see that Sirius was looking _very _nervous, and he seemed to be sweating a bit.

"All right, Sirius mate? Warm? You look like you're sweating"

"Oh…yeah, I'm warm. Okay. Um…are we nearly there?" He asked desperately.

"I think so. It's been quite a walk, hasn't it?"

"Yeah" he sounded more relaxed now we were off the subject of him.

I turned a corner to a large wooden door.

I tried the handle- it was locked.

"Allow me" Sirius pushed past me and gave me a pitying smile.

"_Alohamora!" _the door clicked as Sirius pointed his wand at it, and creaked open. I wondered for a moment if it would be a mirror on the other side, like at Hogwarts, but it wasn't.

It was what looked like…a _wine _rack.

I searched the room with my eyes. From what I could tell, we were in some sort of wine cellar, or something along those lines. There were rows and rows of wine racks, and great big wooden barrels of what _smelled _like butterbeer- a drink Dad liked.

"Where are we?" Asked Sirius. I returned the pitying smile he had given me earlier

"A cellar, most likely for a bar or pub or something" I told him patronisingly. He jokingly punched me in the stomach, and then his eyes focused on something behind me. I swivelled round and followed his line of sight.

Stairs.

"Shall we?" He grinned at me,

"But Sirius!" I said in mock horror "We might get caught"

"It's a risk we'll have to take" he sighed to me, then grinned evilly "Jamsie Wamsie" I shuddered.

How did he know that's what my mum called me?

"Whatever." I told him "Let's just go"

So, quietly, carefully, with trademark stealth only we could manage, we crept up the stairs and poked our head round the door.

Brilliant!

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV**

The three broomsticks! I'd heard about this! Dad told me about it one time…admittedly he was drunk at the time so that was the only reason he talked to me, but still, he did tell me!

The Three Broomsticks is the pub in Hogsmede, the only fully wizarding community left in Britain. It was renowned for excellent Butterbeer, sizzling Firewhisky and the gorgeous landlady: Madam Rosmerta. I could see her from where I was and she was Hott.

I grinned slyly at James and he grinned slyly back at me.

We crept into the pub, and crouched under the bar. Madam Rosmerta put a Firewhisky on the counter, and James snaked his hand up and nicked it.

Again with the grinning.

Madam Rosmerta stared at where she had put the glass. She shook her head, and then went and poured another. This time, I snaked my hand up and nicked it.

And again with the grinning.

We shared a look, linked our arms forward through each others and then said "Bottoms up!"

And drank the whole lot.

It was aptly named; the whisky burned my throat like flames licking at the skin. I dropped the glass, which smashed onto the floor.

"_Reparo_" I struggled out, my voice hoarse and burning.

James' glass dropped to the floor at the same time as mine, and I heard him mutter "_Reparo_" as well. His voice sounded just as hoarse as mine.

We caught each other's eye, and then, again at the same time croaked

"Awesome!"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Back in the tunnel on the way back to Hogwarts, still Sirius' POV**

We walked up the stairs back to Hogwarts. My throat was still hurting a little, but it didn't

matter, because I felt happy…bubbly…light-headed…

What some people may call tiddly.

Slightly drunk.

Oh well, it was fun anyway.

"You know what else I saw yesterday Sirius?" James said, sounding just as tiddly as I was.

"What?" I tensed up a little. He'd seen me and Andie, he's seen us…

"Frank" This surprised me

"_Frank?_"

"Yes. And, Alice, that friend of Lily."

"Frank and Alice? Never saw that one coming!"

"Yeah, they were kissing for a while too. Not as long as Andromeda and that guy, but still a while"

I felt half tense – please don't realise it was me – and half smug. Yeah, we kissed for longer than Alice and Frank! Whoop!

"And the other thing I saw…" James' voice sounded darker now taking the tone that he only used for one person.

"Snivellus?" I asked sympathetically

"And Lily"

"_What?!_"

"He _kissed _her, Sirius. He kissed her! That slimy, snivelling, slippery, smarmy CREEP _kissed _her!"

"Did she…uh…kiss him back?"

"No" I could hear relief in his voice "She shoved him off her" He sounded a bit smug now, but that changed "Still, he _kissed _her! KISSED HER!!!"

"Yes, James, I got that one. What we need is _revenge_"

"Revenge?" James said evilly

"Revenge" I stated, mirroring his evil voice. "First that snide trick in Potions, now this. We need to get revenge. Big revenge."

"He'll be expecting it"

"All the more reason to do it. We wouldn't want to disappoint him, would we James"

"Quite ungracious"

"Quite rude"

"Quite…ingenious." James was smiling ear to ear now.

"So" I pondered "what to do?"

"Stinksap?"

"Too small"

"Poison?"

"Too big. And unoriginal. He did that to you, remember"

"Hmm…tough one."

"We'll think of something."

We scurried back up the stairs, trying to think of a good revenge. It was tough. It needed to be perfect- _perfect._ The first true prank played on Snivellus (James ramming off his broom in Flying Class doesn't count) needed to be spectacular…humiliating…using every resource we have…

Then it came to me. Of _course. _It was _exactly _what we wanted!

"James!" I cried, excitement in my voice

He turned, knowing I'd got it

"What, what? What is it?"

"James, have you ever read Shakespeare?"

"A bit."

"Twelfth Night?"

"Yeah…"

I waited for him to get it. One…two…three

"Malvolio!" He realised, and we both grinned our trademark evil grins.

It would be _perfect._

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**What will James and Sirius' prank be?**

**If you know what I'm talking about, don't review saying what it is! Please!**

**Hope you enjoyed it…**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	7. Chapter 7: The Start of the Revenge

**Hello again!**

**Here's the next chapter, revenge is upon us!**

**Excellent...**

**Hope you like it**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Happy? *Huddles in a corner and cries***

**POVs: Snape, Remus, Sirius**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV- Breakfast 3 days later**

I looked over at the Gryffindor table, searching for Lily. My eyes passed over those four idiots. Potter – a pure blood failure – Black – the white sheep in the Black family – Longbottom – the useless geek – and Lupin – the astonishingly pale and queasy looking boy.

Potter saw me looking, and elbowed Sirius. The two of them started blowing kisses and fluttering their eyelashes at me.

I turned away from them. Idiots.

Lily came hurrying in to the Great Hall and sat next to Andromeda, the metamorphagus

"Where were you?" I heard the pink haired girl say

"Posting a letter" answered Lily briefly.

I turned back to the Slytherin table. Peter Pettigrew, a rat like boy sat opposite me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Black get up and pat Potter on the back.

Again; idiot.

Ten minutes later, I went back to the dormitory, before lessons began. I sat down on my bed and looked across the room. I was, as usual, on my own. The other boys all sat in the common room, flirting with various girls and playing exploding snap.

I, however, only wanted to flirt with one girl, and I hated exploding snap.

A little owl swooped through the door and landed on the bed next to me. It dropped a letter plopped onto the duvet. I vaguely recognised it…didn't Lily have a little owl like that?

Don't be stupid.

I picked up the letter the owl had delivered. It was addressed in an elegant script that again seemed familiar.

I opened it up

_Dear Severus_

_This is hard for me to tell you. I've been wanting to for a very long time, but it's more difficult than I ever thought it would be._

_I love you._

_I always have. When you kissed me the other day, I was confused, and I didn't know what to do._

_But now I know._

_Severus, I'm in love with you._

_I need to know if you love me back._

_This sounds odd, but it's what happened in a famous muggle love story, and I've always wished that someone – you – would do it for me._

_In the story, a woman loved a man, but he was her servant. She asked him, if he loved her back, to wear yellow tights with a black criss cross pattern._

_I know, it's a silly muggle thing that you probably won't approve of._

_But please, if you can, do._

_Please_

_My love always_

_Lily_

A thousand emotions flashed through my mind.

Disbelief

Joy

Love

Devotion

Wonder

Confusion

Bliss

Delight

Where am I going to get the tights?

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Remus' POV**

The first full moon at Hogwarts.

It was a tough one, I won't lie.

Usually, I have mum and dad just outside the door.

Of course, I can't ever see them, it's too dangerous. But I know they're there. It helps.

There was no one here that night.

It took three days for me to recover.

I spent the first day vomiting…

The second day unconscious…

And the third day burning up.

The others had been waiting for me to come back impatiently, with a plan to humiliate Snape.

The plan was to send Snape a letter "from Lily" that said she loved him (James didn't like that bit much) and to prove he loved her back he had to wear yellow tights with a black criss cross pattern.

To humiliate him further, Sirius was going to cast a spell on him spelling out "Snivellus" on his face.

In spots.

An amusing and ingenious plan, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for Snape.

I mean, Snivellus.

As these thoughts passed through my mind, the little owl that looked exactly like Lily's that Sirius had found swooped into the window, a note tied to it's leg.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV**

All right!

Snivellus has replied- already!

Brilliant!

James pulled the letter off the owl's leg, and then tickled behind its ear.

James loves owls.

Snowy owls are his favourite, but it doesn't matter. Little owls, he'll stroke them too.

He read the letter out to the rest of us.

_Dearest Lily_

_I love you so much. I'll do anything to prove it to you._

_I'll find the tights as soon as I can – it shouldn't take long._

_Two or three days at the most._

_So much love_

_Severus._

"Oh dear. How pathetic." I laughed

James laughed with me, and then Frank laughed too, then, quite late really, Remus laughed.

This prank was going to be spectacular. Our first ever prank, as a group, and it was going to be one of our best.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Okay, it's a bit weird.**

**More of a filler chapter to set up for the next chapter.**

**Guess what's going to happen then…**

**=D =) =P**

**Anyways, hope you liked it =)**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	8. Chapter 8: The Ultimate Humiliation

**Hello again!**

**This chapter will, hopefully, be funny and/or will humiliate Snape**

**So, I hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, right. Okay, so I managed to buy all the rights to Harry Potter. SO I own it. Totally. I also own eight lime green chickens with furry fluorescent pink polka dots, three orange cows that glow in the dark and a dodo.**

**PS. Guess what? I lied.**

**POV's: Snape, Sirius, Lily, James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV**

I carefully opened the package that was lying on my bed. The brown paper crumpled in my hands and drifted slowly to the floor, to reveal a pair of bright yellow tights with a black criss cross pattern.

Why muggles find this attractive is beyond me, but I'd play along.

I'd do anything for my Lily.

I'd been imagining it since I got her letter: Lily Snape. It sounds good.

Better than Lily Potter. Just the sound of the name "Potter" makes my blood boil.

I sighed and checked around the common room. The other boys had all gone down to breakfast. They never talked to me that much, except Peter Pettigrew.

Funny one, him.

I pulled the tights on.

Well, I tried to.

I tried and tried and tried.

How do women do this?

After a lot of thinking and about half an hour, I managed it.

Oh, Merlin, it was time for my first lesson!

I looked at my timetable and groaned. It was flying.

Since my first flying lesson, I'd been put off a bit.

I trudged out of the entrance hall, bag on shoulder and made my way over to the clearing.

Most of the Gryffindors were already here, including Lily.

And Potter and his friends.

Ugh. Idiots.

The teacher, Madam Hooch, began the lesson. She hadn't taking much of a liking to me.

But, then again, who had?

Potter mounted his broom and demonstrated to the class a dive. Oh, well done Potter.

Then, he started talking to Madam Hooch.

"You know who else in the class is _really _good at flying, Madam Hooch? My dear, dear friend Severus over here. I'm told, not by him of course, he's far too modest, but my various sources, that he can dive _even _better than me! You really should let him demonstrate too, Madam Hooch, you really, _really _should."

"Very well Mr Potter. Let's have a look at him. Mr Snape, please mount your broom."

Oh, Merlin.

Everyone was going to see the tights.

I shot a glare at Potter – who smiled and waved back at me – and then turned to Madam Hooch.

"Um…Madam Hooch…"

"Hurry _up _Snape! Get on your broom boy!"

"Well…err…you see…"

"Mr Snape…"

"Yes…well…the thing is…I don't feel well! Yes, that's right, I fell really ill, Madam Hooch"

"Well, just do the dive, and then you can go to the infirmary." She replied, eyeing me suspiciously.

I could see I wasn't going to get out of this.

Oh, Merlin's beard.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV**

Oh, this was too good

An excellent starter prank for our gang, if I might say so myself.

Snape uneasily mounted his broom and flew up, trying to keep his tights hidden. I could hear people whispering.

"Did you just see…yellow?"

"I thought so too!"

"What on earth…"

And then, he swooped down and I nearly collapsed laughing.

His robes were pushed back and everyone could see the bright yellow tights with a black criss cross pattern on them.

James, Remus and Frank were roaring with laughter next to me.

Especially James.

Now, the crowning glory…

I whipped out my wand and muttered a spell I had made up one time…experimenting. I specified to the magic exactly what I wanted, and when Snape landed in the crowd of laughing onlookers…there were spots all over his face, spelling out…

"_Snivellus!" _Cried James, tears of laughter rolling down his cheeks. Even Madam Hooch was laughing.

Snivellus glared at Lily.

"Why did you ask me to do this?" he muttered, and then he stormed off to the infirmary.

Excellent.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

So…funny…revenge…perfect…funny…Snivellus…tights…funny…face…spots…funny.

I could barely breathe I was laughing so much, tears of mirth rolling down my face as I clutched onto Sirius.

Sirius promptly collapsed laughing, and I went down with him, rolling around on the floor, giggling to high heaven.

I looked up when I heard footsteps, and saw a mass of red…

I stopped laughing immediately and, as the tears cleared the mass of red was revealed to be Lily looking down at me, tapping her foot.

She looked angry.

Ah.

Hadn't _quite _thought this one through.

"James?" She said, dangerously quietly, calmly and sweetly. Like the calm before the storm.

"Err…yes?" I replied nervously.

"Why did Severus-"

"Snivellus" Sirius cut in, and then shrank into his robes as Lily silenced him with a stare.

"Why did Severus say I'd asked him to do that?"

"Well…did you?"

"Not to my memory"

"Well, you see…have you had any head trauma? My dad said it can cause Amnesia"

"No, James, no head trauma. In fact, my memory is almost perfect. Now why would Severus think I'd told him to so that?"

"Erm…" sweat was trickling down my neck. Everyone was staring at the messy haired boy on the floor and the fiery redhead looking down at him, like she might strike at any moment.

Like a python.

I gulped.

"Because you did, Evans" said Sirius, now having regained his composure.

"Excuse me, Black?" Her gaze moved to him.

"You sent him a letter. A brown little owl, am I right?" She nodded hazardously "Did any snakes – I mean Slytherins – see a brown little owl in the dormitory or common room going to Snape?" He addressed a nearby group of Slytherins. One who looked like a rat nodded.

"Yes, there was one." The boy squeaked

"Was it carrying a letter?"

"Yes"

"When was this?"

"Three days ago" The boy looked like he might see flashing lights in a minute

"And, Lily, you arrived late for breakfast three days ago because…"

"Because I had been posting a letter"

"Well, there we are then. Come along James" He got up, and then helped me to my feet. I still couldn't look Lily straight in the face

"There's one problem, Black" Lily said.

"What's that Evans?"

"I used Alice's owl. Mine was posting a letter to my mum"

Ah. Problem.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV**

The two boys spluttered and tried to explain, but they couldn't think of anything.

"Well…err…um…well…you see…it was like this…you…well…erm…err…um…well"

Alice, stood next to me was chuckling. I probably would have been too, if I wasn't so mad.

"So, let me get this straight. You stole an owl that looked like mine"

"No, we bought it actually. James is really rich" Sirius said, nervous again

"Fine. You bought an owl that looked like mine, and sent a letter to Severus telling him to wear those tights. How did you persuade him?" I asked, sweet as sugar.

"Well…we…we…" James stuttered

"We told him you were in looooove with him" Sirius admitted, smiling a bit.

WHAT???

"WHAT?? YOU COMPLETE IDIOTIC SLIMY GITS! HOW DARE YOU, HOW _DARE _YOU TELL SEVERUS SOMETHING LIKE THAT? THAT'S THE MOST DISGUSTING SNIDE TRICK IN THE BOOK! YOU STUPID GITS!" I stopped for breath, and James cut in

"YEAH, WELL IF SNAPE DIDN'T WANT REVENGE, SNAPE SHOULDN'T HAVE POISONED ME, SHOULD HE"

"THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

"WAS IT HELL! THE SNIVELLING GIT TOLD YOU THAT SO YOU'D STILL TALK TO HIM! HE'S SO DESPERATE AND STUPID HE'LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU, EVEN LIE TO YOU! YOU MAKE OUT YOU'RE SO DAMN CLEVER YET YOU'RE THE MOST NAÏVE PERSON I'VE EVER MET!"

"GET OVER YOURSELF, POTTER. HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS LETHAL!"

"YES. HE. DID. HE ADMITTED IT TO MCGONAGALL. HE JUST LIED TO YOU. HE'S A _LIAR _LILY, A **LIAR**!"

"NO, HE'S NOT"

"YES, HE IS. ASK MCGONAGALL, EVANS. I'VE GIVEN UP TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU."

And then, he grabbed Sirius and stormed off, Remus and Frank following them. _He _stormed off before me! Argh!

But…at the same time…I think I will check with Professor McGonagall.

Just to prove Potter wrong.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At the end of Transfigurations, which was after flying class**

**Lily's POV**

Potter and I had been shooting each other looks of contempt all lesson.

I _know _he's wrong about Severus. Severus would never lie to me.

I think.

Well, anyway, I had fully decided on asking Professor McGonagall.

Just to be sure.

The lesson ended, and all the other students got up to leave the room. I told Alice I'd be along in a second – we had Potions next – but I just needed to talk to Professor McGonagall.

She rolled her eyes and said "Always the model student Lily"

"Always" I grinned back at her.

When everyone had left, I approached the desk quietly.

"Professor?"

"Yes, Miss Evans" She looked up at me, a smile on her face.

"Well, I was just wondering…worrying really…Severus Snape didn't get punished _too _badly for the incident in Potions the other day, did he?"

"Well, I'm afraid he did. He will be serving two detentions a week, one with me, and one with his head of house and the potions master Professor Slughorn, who I am sure you know."

"Yes, Professor"

"He was also sent to the Headmaster"

"It is a little…severe…don't you think? I expect he didn't even know what would happen!"

"Oh, he did Miss Evans. He was most proud of his handiwork and cunning. He boasted most jubilantly to me, and I heard him afterwards saying it was a shame that Mr Black came in when he did"

"Oh" I was holding back tears now

"Don't you need to be in your next lesson now, dear?" She asked kindly

"Oh, yes. Of course. Thank you for your time professor." I stumbled out of the room, my thoughts spinning round my head.

James' yelling…Sirius' bullying…Severus lying.

It begged the question

Who could I trust?"


	9. Chapter 9: And The Aftermath

**I've had hardly any reviews so far =( but I decided to keep going anyway =)**

**But, whether you love it, hate it, or just don't really care, PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

**IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Really.**

**POVs: Snape**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV**

The next day began with water thrown over me. I shot up in bed, suddenly wide awake. I looked up to see all the other boys in my dormitory in stitches laughing, and Lucius Malfoy barely being able to cling onto his water-spraying wand. The only one not really laughing was the rat-like Peter Pettigrew.

"Morning Snivellus!" Malfoy choked out, holding desperately onto his stomach and ribs as if they might pop out at any moment.

I sighed, and got out of bed, walking into the bathroom. I hung my towel up on the rail near the door and undressed, leaving my clothes in a bundle underneath the rail.

The water was hotter even than it normally is, and each droplet stung against my skin. My mind wandered by itself, and soon I was lost in my thoughts completely unaware of anything else. I was brought back to reality when one of the other boys yelled to me it was time for breakfast.

I twisted the handle and the water dripped to a halt. Stepping out of the shower, I walked across the bathroom and felt for my towel, my eyes blinded by the water.

All I could feel was the metal towel rail that was aged with rust.

I bent to the floor, trying to find something to dry my eyes with.

All I could feel was the freezing stone tiling.

I wiped my eyes on my arms and looked around.

My clothes and my towel was gone.

I searched desperately for something…anything…and I saw a hand towel.

Well, it was better than nothing.

I wrapped it around my waist and opened the door The room was empty. I breathed a sigh of relief. They must have all gone to breakfast.

I walked around the green, black and silver dormitory to my bed.

"Severus?"

Peter. Where did he come from?

"What?"

"Severus, they're-"

"SNIVELLUS!!!" Three loud voices yelled from behind me, and I turned and dropped my towel in shock. Heard the snap of a camera and my sight was clouded by a plume of purple smoke.

Oh, Merlin.

Lucius Malfoy and his cronies were, for the second time, in stitches laughing at me.

I looked at the clock. It was eight o'clock.

I sighed. It was going to be a long day.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At Breakfast**

"Snivellus"

"It's Snivellus"

"Hey Snivelly"

"Nice tights spot face"

"Snivelly Snivellus"

I sat down at the table on my own. I picked up a glass and poured some pumpkin juice at it. I put it to my lips, but instead of pouring into my mouth, it levitated into the air and poured onto my head. I turned to see some Ravenclaws laughing and pointing at me, and one grinning with his wand out. I glowered and pointed my own wand at my head, using the drying spell we'd been taught in Charms.

Potter and his mates were sat in the corner of the room, arguing. Ah. That's good. Potter and Lupin seemed to be on the same side, and Black and Longbottom on the other. I got up, walking past the Gryffindor table as I left.

"Look, everyone else is going to bother him. We've dome out part" said Potter

"But James-"

"No, Sirius. It's simple. We are going to leave him alone. For today." Lupin cut in

"I still think one hex wouldn't hurt…a few fireworks?" whined Longbottom

"No!" exclaimed Potter and Lupin in synchronisation.

Hmm. I wonder what that was about.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Potions class**

"Good to see you today, Mr Snape. Ill yesterday, were you?"

"Yes sir" I muttered, and sat down at a desk near the front. I pulled my potions books out and flicked it open.

"Well, today we'll be doing some more basic potions. Just some easy stuff now…" I tuned out, looking across the classroom, my eyes focusing on the fiery red hair that had was the easiest way of recognising my obsession.

Lily.

I didn't need to look at her to know every detail of her being. Her beautiful hair that curled ever so slightly…her stunning green eyes…her ivory freckling skin…the perfect lips and the gorgeous smile…the whole ensemble, perfection mirrored in human form…

"Mr Snape!" my head snapped up and I saw Slughorn looking at me

"Erm…"

"Would you like me to repeat the question?"

"Yes please sir"

"Where could I find a Bezoar Stone?"

"The stomach of a goat"

"That's right Mr Snape"

"Sir you got his name wrong" called out Malfoy

"Excuse me Mr Malfoy?"

"It's Mr Snivellus, not Mr Snape!"

The class burst out laughing, and I wanted to bang my head on the desk.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At the end of the day**

I sat on my bed, with the curtains of the four poster bed drawn. My wand was in my hand and every now and again I would flick it and say a random word to see what happened.

"Levicorpus!" The pillow twisted and flipped upside down in the air, hanging precariously.

"Resticorpus!" Nothing.

"Secticorpus!" Nothing

Then a word came to me from nowhere

"Sectumsempra!" The pillow cover twisted and the front burst spraying out feathers.

That looked pretty good.

I imagined what it would do on a human being, and grinned.

Potter…


	10. Chapter 10: Bloodshed

**All my other stories are totally going on hold for this one!**

**Lol I've been brainwashed.**

**Okay, so I have a plan of what this story is gonna be like. And it reaches 24 chapters at the end of first year, NOT including Summer Holidays. This is quite a problem, because I don't really just want to leave it at the end of first year, but at the same time I don't want it to get ridiculously long.**

**So…if anyone was interested, I could write a sequel? Or, rather, six or seven Sequels? So there's be a story for first year, then second, then third, then fourth, then fifth, then sixth, then seventh, and the final story would be from Lily and James' year leaving Hogwarts to Halloween 1981 when Voldemort arrives in Godric's Hollow. If you have any opinions, REVIEW! Or PM me. I really value your opinion.**

**On with the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I **_**wish**_** I owned Harry Potter…**

**POVs: Snape, James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV**

The next morning was similar to the last. I was woken by a jet of water from Lucius Malfoy's wand – again – and today, my recent discovery encouraging me, I just smiled serenely and said

"Oh, how _kind _of you Lucius. I was going to have to waste ten minutes on a shower, but now it seems it isn't needed. How very, very kind of you."

He gaped, open mouthed, and his cronies stopped laughing. They stalked away, leaving Pettigrew in front of me.

"That – that was really good. They needed someone to take them down a p-peg or two" he smiled at me nervously. I spared him a fleeting smile, then focused on getting dressed.

Today was going to be a big day.

I practically skipped down to breakfast, Pettigrew scurrying after me. The pumpkin juice tasted even more delectable than usual…the food was delicious in my mouth.

Lessons passed quickly, and soon, before I even realised it, it was time for the lunch break.

Potter and co. were over at the Lake. Well, it seemed fitting…that was where I first met him, and that was where he would get my revenge.

I walked over, feeling quite cocky and light headed. As usual, Peter was following me. He was alright, really. He didn't _bother _me, but I didn't particularly like him either. Ah well. Nothing could spoil my mood today.

I sat down by the side of the Black Lake, and waited for Potter to notice me.

I didn't have to wait for long.

"Snivellus! How lovely to see you. How're the tights, old man"

"Well, Potter, I was thinking of getting them in different colours. You know branching out a bit. Neon Pink maybe? And a different pattern, I think. Fishnets?" I answered, smiling calmly.

For a moment he looked surprised.

"Wouldn't like to see you in fishnets Snivelly. The grease would seep through the holes."

"So, what would be your choice for me?" I replied, best I could.

"I already chose for you, Snivellus. Those yellow tights looked _wonderful_"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, it was Sirius really, but we did think that bright yellow with a black criss cross pattern would suit you best"

It was _them? _How could have been so stupid?! Of _course _it was them!

"You know, Snivellus, your reply was heart wrenching, really. _Dearest Lily. I love you so much. I'll do anything to prove it to you._"

"Shut it Potter"

"And I think we wrote it really well, don't you. Very convincing." He carried on as if I hadn't said anything "_Dear Severus_

"Shut it Potter"

"_This is hard for me to tell you. I've been wanting to for a very long time, but it's more difficult than I ever thought it would be."_

"I would really shut up _now _Potter, if I were you"

"_I love you. I always have. When you kissed me the other day, I was confused, and I didn't know what to do"._

"POTTER!"

"_But now I know. Severus, I'm in love with you. I need to know if you love me back-"_

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" I bellowed, unleashing the spell I had created upon the boy I hated with everything I had.

But I hadn't noticed the fiery haired beauty behind him.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

I dodged out of the way, my natural Quidditch impulses pulling my sideways and away from Snape's curse.

How could I have possibly known, that Lily was stood behind me, about to intervene and defend him?

How could I have known that she wouldn't move quick enough?

How could I have known she would get hit?

And how could I have possibly known what it would do to her?

I bolt of blue flashed across, narrowly missing me. Lily looked up just in time to see it coming, before it stuck her square in the chest.

She gasped, and fell to the ground as gracefully as a feather.

For a moment I froze, unable to comprehend that something had happened to _Lily. _My life, my soul, my heart.

And then I saw the blood.

I sprinted over to her, clutching onto her lifeless body.

"Lily! LILY!"

No…no…she couldn't be…

My mind couldn't even think it. I wasn't capable.

I could feel a pair of arms on my own, trying to pull me away from her, but I wouldn't let them. I couldn't let them. Nobody could take me away from my Lily.

My beautiful Lily.

Blood was pouring everywhere, and I tried some spells to slow it, chocking them out through the tears, but nothing worked.

Then I heard Sirius, the only thing able to pierce my mind at this moment.

"You BASTARD! You evil slimy BASTARD!" And then I heard a sickening crack indicating that Sirius had most probably punched Snape in the face and broken his nose.

Lily was running out of blood fast. A memory from a muggle science lesson popped into my head, and told me that if you lost a third of your blood, you should be okay. Lose a half…

It didn't bear thinking about.

I peeled my robes off, wrapping them around Lily's wounds, trying to stop the blood. It wasn't enough…I ripped them apart, but there just wasn't enough fabric. I pulled my jumper off, and ripped that up too – mum was going to kill me for all this – and saw I still needed more. I pulled off my t shirt, leaving my chest bare and shivering slightly in the cold winter sunlight.

But I couldn't worry about the cold. All I could think about was Lily. I clutched her to me, hoping anything I had done might help.

And then, appearing before my eyes was a long silvery beard. I looked up, and saw Albus Dumbledore. It was only now that I became aware of the tears running down my cheeks and smudging my glasses.

I wiped them away. He summoned a stretcher out of thin air, and bent down beside me. His light blue eyes stared into my hazel ones.

"May I?" He whispered. He put a hand on Lily. I understood immediately. I looked up at my friends. Sirius was looking at me worriedly, an expression in his eyes I had never seen before. Frank was nodding slowly at me, and Remus had an unfathomable look on his face, but when he saw me looking he gave a short, curt nod, with somewhat of an encouraging edge that I somehow understood.

"Yes" I whispered back. Dumbledore smiled gently at me, then levitated Lily in the air, and onto the stretcher. The stretcher took itself back inside, and I was left debating what to look at; to stare after Lily worriedly and slightly longingly, or murderously glaring at Snape. I settled on Lily. It was safer.

I didn't want to join the ones inflicting injury today.

Dumbledore, meanwhile, was searching a great many velvet pockets, with a concentrated look on his face. I steadied myself. Whatever he was looking for, it must be important.

Some great object of magical ability…a potion…something like that.

To my surprise, he pulled out a white paper bag. I stared at it curiously. Then to my amazement, he took a small yellow object from his lips and plopped it in his mouth.

"Ah yes, Mr Potter. Care for a sherbet lemon?"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Well, I hope you liked it!**

**Review…REVIEW!!!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	11. Chapter 11: Tears Say Goodbye

**Well, hello again!**

**I got a couple more reviews yesterday saying I should do the sequels, but I'm still not sure yet. I think I'll decide when I finish this one, but if I do do some sequels, there shouldn't be too big a gap between them.**

**Well, this is going to be quite a sad chapter =(**

**Disclaimer: Notice the FAN in FANfiction**

**POVs: James, Snape**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

The day after the…incident…at the Black Lake, I crept in to the hospital wing to see Lily. She was in a separate room, away from the main part of the infirmary.

No one was allowed to see her because of her "delicate state" as I had firmly been told by Madam Pompfrey about 20 minutes beforehand.

But, I'm a… well, we don't really have a name (yet), but whatever Sirius, Remus, Frank and I are, I'm one of them, so naturally I snuck in, with a little help from Sirius creating a diversion.

In the form of punching Snape in the face (again).

An excellent diversion if you ask me. I think it should become our official diversion, if he's available at the time, which a busy person like Snape may not be. There are, after all, a lot of people that would like to punch him, or at least hex him.

The sight of Lily scared me. Her normally fiery hair was limp and dull. Her ivory skin had a greyish tinge, and was even paler than usual. Her lips weren't as red, and the expression that they held was tight and anxious. There were wounds everywhere. I suddenly felt a huge, overwhelming gratitude to Madam Pompfrey for being able to help my Lily. The cuts I could see criss crossed up her arms and scarred her perfect face.

I felt a surge of pure, unadulterated hatred towards Snape. I could cheerfully tear his head off right now. I shook myself. I wasn't that type of person. I would have to make do with hexing him into oblivion. I shook myself again. That was the type of thing a petty, bad person would do.

I'd get Sirius to do it.

I sat next to Lily on the bed. She stirred slightly from her unconscious state, and m breath hitched in my throat…but all she did was turn on to her side.

And then she wrapped her arms around my waist.

Ah. I was torn. On the one hand, having her holding onto me would make it difficult to have a quick getaway.

On the other hand…it felt so right, her skin against my own. So perfect, as if nothing could go wrong now.

I shook my head. Everything was wrong here.

And yet…

I couldn't bring myself to move her arms away. I simply stared at them, wishing it could be like this all the time.

Well, her being conscious – or at least willingly and harmlessly unconscious – would

probably be a plus, but the rest of it was perfect.

I couldn't help it. I was lost in this perfect world, the world where it was Lily and I, and no one else could get to us. Nothing could have woken me from this waking dream at that moment.

Nothing.

I reached out and touched her face, her delicate white skin even paler against my tanned hand. I trailed my fingers up to her hair, leaving kisses with my fingertips. I twirled one of those beautiful ginger curls around my finger, and unknowingly tears started to run down my cheeks.

"It was my fault-" I whispered brokenly "This should be me, not you Lily. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have ducked. I shouldn't have tried to save my own skin. I should be the one in pain, bleeding, not you Lily. You should never hurt Lily…never hurt, please, for me. Never hurt-" I broke off as the tears overwhelmed me, and I lowered my head onto the bed, the tears scorching my face and running down onto the pristine white sheets.

I cried for what seemed like hours, but what was probably only a few minutes. When the tears subsided, I looked up again at Lily, the beautiful flower that I knew I could never let be mine.

"I love you Lily Evans. And I'm so, so sorry. I will never put you in danger again. I won't speak to you, I won't go near you, I won't associate with you. Not because I don't like you- never think that, Lily. Never, ever think that I don't love you with ever essence of my being. It's because of that love I have to do it- I have to protect you. Goodbye, Lily Evans. The flower I'll never have."

I kissed her forehead, which creased slightly as my lips brushed the skin. Then, I moved her arms from my waist, with a lot more effort than it should have taken, and walked out of the hospital wing, tears still streaming down my cheeks.

I walked out, and I didn't look back.

I could never look back.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV**

Black had punched me in the face for the second time since yesterday. My nose was going to be exceedlingly wonky by the end of the week if things carried on as they were.

I was escorted to the hospital wing from the dungeons, where it had happened, by Madam Pompfrey. She sat me down and muttered some spells, then went off to tend to a boy who had had some weird combination of hexes put upon him. To my delight, as they started to wear off, it turned out to be Lucius Malfoy.

Yes, I had been punched in the face, but every cloud has a silver lining.

I lay back on my bed and cleared my mind of everything.

That was when I heard the voice.

Someone was talking – crying – in the room separate to the infirmary, where Lily was.

My ears pricked open. Who was it? And what were they saying to Lily?

"I love you Lily Evans. And I'm so, so sorry. I will never put you in danger again. I won't speak to you, I won't go near you, I won't associate with you. Not because I don't like you- never think that, Lily. Never, ever think that I don't love you with ever essence of my being. It's because of that love I have to do it- I have to protect you. Goodbye, Lily Evans. The flower I'll never have."

Whoever it was they were whispering, so I couldn't hear them properly. My frustration intensified. Who was this mysterious lover of _my _Lily?

Well, whoever they were, they obviously were going to ignore her.

But who could ignore Lily?

Then the door creaked open, and my train of thought stopped in it's tracks.

James Potter walked out, tears rolling down his face, his expression zombie like.

I grinned. My main competitor had vowed to ignore Lily! I could have jumped for joy, and wooped – but Madam Pompfrey might have been slightly irritated.

Inside though, I plotted. I was going to get Lily back- and now Potter couldn't stop me.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Was that sad? I thought it was quite sad… oh well.**

**I hope you liked it!**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! COOKIES AVAILABLE!!!!!**


	12. Chapter 12: Discoveries

**Hello again! Don't really have much to say right now other that PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

**Disclaimer: yeah, I wish.**

**POVs: Lily, Remus**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV**

After four days in the hospital wing, on my own, it was nice to stretch my legs and to talk to someone else than Madam Pompfrey. Sure, the bustling nurse was _nice _and everything, but it wasn't the same as talking to a solid, loyal friend.

So, I made a beeline for Alice.

It was quite simple to find her really. You listened for the two places with the most noise. Then you listened to the pitch of the noise. If it was a lower pitch, it was James and Sirius. If it was a higher pitch…

It was Alice.

I found the correct source of noise, and walked over to where Alice was sat in the shade of a tree. Andromeda was next to her, and the two were gossiping loudly, Andromeda's hair changing colour with each bit of information.

A few yards away sat Edward Tonks, a Hufflepuff boy I vaguely recognised…He might have been in our transfiguration…He was kind of staring at the three of us. Wierdly.

I plopped myself down next to Andromeda and Alice. There was a moment of silence. Then…

"OH MY GOD LILY YOU'RE OUT OF HOSPITAL YAY!!!!"

Alice, I'm afraid to say, had jumped on me.

"Yes, I am, but I'll be in again soon if you carry on jumping on my scars" I laughed, and she jumped up

"Oh, Melin! Sorry Lily!"

"Don't worry about it. So, how was Hogwarts without me?"

Andromeda shrugged, whilst Alice looked miserable.

"It wasn't that different really" said Andromeda casually.

"Andie! How can you say that? It was _awful _Lily, absolutely _awful. _I got partnered with some dumbass Slyhterin called Narcissa! And oh my god, she was a complete FREAK! She kept _staring _at that Lucius Malfoy guy- you know, the one who supports you know who-"

"You don't know that Lucius supports Voldemort, Alice"

"_Don't say his name! _And I so do! His entire family do!"

"So do Sirius', but he doesn't support _Voldemort _does he?"

"Stop saying his name!"

"Andie, why have you gone red?" I asked randomly. Ever since I had spoken just before, she had been gradually been turning pinker.

Now she went positively beetroot

"I'm not _red!" _She spluttered, getting up, "Now come on, we'll be late for class." We got up, and followed Andromeda up to the castle.

"Andie has a _crush!_" I whispered conspicuously to Alice

"Shut up Lily"

"She _does" _cried Alice, overjoyed

"Shut up Alice"

"Who is it?" I asked her "Who were we talking about…erm…Voldemort!"

"Don't say his name! And why would she have a crush on you know who? Don't be dumb, Lily. Lucius!"

"That snake! I don't think so. Wait, I know who it is!" I exclaimed

"Who? Who?"

"Oh, please, who?" asked Andromeda sarcastically

"Sirius" I stated proudly.

Andie went red again and stood at me open mouthed

"It _is!" _Alice was positively ecstatic now "Well, at least he's a Gryffindor"

"Wait, aren't you two related?" I asked

"Ewww!" Alice was not so ecstatic now

"Ugh! He's my like 45th cousin 308 times removed!" Andie proclaimed loudly

"So it _is _Sirius!" I smirked craftily.

"How did you _know?!_" cried Andie "Did you see us kissing or something"

"Um…no. I just saw you blush. You've kissed him? Are you going out with him?"

"Maybe"

"Andromeda! How dare you not tell us" I grinned wickedly. Alice pretended to clutch her heart and cry.

"Oh shut up you guys. I didn't want to tell you because…well…it's kind of weird"

"Because you're related to him?"

"No! Because I'm older than him!"

I looked at Alice. We both burst out laughing.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At the end of dinner**

"So you're sure there's nothing weird about him being younger than me?"

"Andie" I reassured her "Even if he you were five years younger than him, you'd still be older than him. Mentally. So really, it doesn't matter"

She laughed and turned to Alice.

"Are you _still _eating?"

"Obviously" Alice managed to get out, through a mouthful of cake.

Andie and I sighed and rolled our eyes in unison. Alice was the tiniest, skinniest little thing, but she would be the first in to the dinner hall and the last out.

"I'm growing" She mumbled through her food "I need energy to grow with"

Andie and I sighed and rolled our eye in unison again. We were sitting on the Gryffindor table, and we were one of the last ones in the hall. Edward Tonks was sat a few seats along from us.

What? Why was he on the Gryffindor table? And why was he still here, if he had an empty plate?

And _why _was he staring at our group?

"Hurry up Alice! We have that essay for Professor Slughorn!" I reminded her, unnerved by Tonks' presence.

"Lily, that essay isn't due for a week yet! We only got it today!"

"So?"

"Lily, I'll go with you. Alice can stay here and eat her cake."

"Nmph?" protested Alice, but we got up and ignored her

"See you in the common room Ali"

We walked out of the great hall, and began to climb the first of the many sets of stairs you had to climb to get to our common room.

"Lily?"

"Yeeeess?"

"Has Alice seemed…odd…to you lately."

I grinned "Alice is always odd"

"I know" Andie persisted "But, I don't know, she seems a bit…distracted. And she keeps staring at Sirius' group."

"Really?"

"Really"

"Maybe Alice has a crush…"

"Which one?"

"Not Sirius, he's yours"

"Not James, he's yours"

"Remus?"

"Maybe…what about Frank?"

"Hmm…yes, I think so. They always look at each other in lessons. Maybe he likes her back"

"We have to set them up!"

"Totally."

"Andie! Lily!" We turned to see Alice running up the stairs, chocolate cake smeared across her face, panting from trying to eat and catch up with us at the same time.

Andie burst out laughing, but I didn't.

I had spotted something behind Alice.

Edward Tonks was staring up at us.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**The next day**

I hadn't slept at all the previous night. I had tossed and turned, wondering what was going on with Edward Tonks. Why was he always there? Was he following us?

What the hell was going on?

As a result of the lack of sleep, in the morning I was seriously crabby.

"Lily? Is your starsign cancer?"

"No…"

"Coz you're acting like a crab"

Thanks Alice, real nice compliment to your best friend.

It took us twenty minutes to get ready, and when we went down to breakfast most people were already there.

Andie was, as usual, running late, but we knew she would be right behind us. So, at the entrance of the busy, noisy hall, we stopped and waited.

I looked around the entrance hall, Alice chattering away in my ear. At the front doors, I spotted him. I knew it! Edward Tonks was leaning against the door.

I had made up my mind to follow him following us.

Which was odd, but I hoped to prove something.

I hoped.

Andie came plummeting down the stairs, and I laughed along with Alice. But secretly I was watching Edward.

We went into breakfast, and I glance behind me as I sat down. Sure enough, he had sat down at the Hufflepuff table, directly in our line of sight.

Which meant, of course, that we were directly in his lineof sight.

I ate breakfast nervously. What was up with this guy?

Every time I turned, he was staring at us.

This was starting to get freaky.

I needed to talk to someone about this.

Not Alice or Andie…someone who would take it seriously. I looked desperately around the hall, and my eyes zeroed in on the perfect person.

Remus Lupin.

As if he could sense myeyes on him, he looked up.

I waved at him.

Funny, he looked really scared.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Remus' POV**

Oh Merlin, I hope James didn't see Lily wave at me.

I checked, and luckily enough he was staring gloomily at his toast.

Phew.

We proceeded to the first lesson of the day: Herbology.

Lily happened to be my partner in this subject, so at least I had the chance to ask her what the whole waving thing was about.

I mean, did she _want _James to rip my throat out?

In herbology we were repotting some plant or other. It was perfect. Simple work that you needed two people for.

We started repotting, and I looked at Lily nervously.

"Erm…Lily? What was with you waving at me this morning. Not being rude. Just wondering."

"Oh, well, I kind of want to talk to you"

Hmm? What's this? What can't she tell her friends that she can tell me?

"I'm all ears"

"Well, you know that Edward Tonks guy? Over there – short, brown hair, Hufflepuff? He's been following us."

"Following you?"

"Yeah. Everywhere we go, he's a few steps behind. Like, when I came out of hospital yesterday, he was sat a few yards away from me and the others whilst we were talking. Then at the end of dinner he came and _sat on the Gryffindor table! _And his plate was empty, so why would he still be there! This morning, he was waiting for us in the entrance hall, and at breakfast he spent the entire time staring at us"

She was very convincing.

"I'll see what I can do. We are very…persuasive…us three. That reminds me; expect an apology from Snape at lunch. We had a word about the…incident."

She looked very confused.

They all do.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At lunch**

I knew I should tell him…he'd kill me if I didn't, but I was a little afraid of what he might do if I did.

"Alright Remus? You look a bit…odd" James asked gloomily. He was always gloomy now.

"Well, Lily told me something in Herbology, something you might want to know"

He didn't look any happier.

"What? That it's all my fault she was hurt?"

"On the contrary, she thinks you're ignoring her because she rejected you. No, something else"

"Spit it out then" said Sirius

"You know that Edward Tonks kid?"

"The Hufflepuff?" asked James, surprised

"Yeah, him. He's been stalking her"

Uh oh. James looked angry. Please be one of those people who doesn't hex the messenger…please…please

"Is it scaring her?" he asked, his jaw tight

"I think so. She sounded pretty freaked. She said she hardly slept last night because of it."

The look on James' face was black.

"Boys" he said quietly

"It's pranking time"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Yay! Pranking time!**

**The next chapter will be all about what the Marauders do to poor little Edward Tonks (Ted Tonks to the rest of the world)**

**Til next time**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	13. Chapter 13: The Edward Tonks Pranks

**Well hi.**

**And also: Mwah ha ha ha ha**

**Let the pranks…commence!**

**Disclaimer: In the (slightly edited) words of Manuel from Fawlty Towers: I own Nuzin! (In English, I own nothing. It was originally I know nothing, but whatever)**

**POVs: James, Sirius, Remus, Frank**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV – The Next Day**

Usually, I wished flying class would go on forever.

But today, I wanted it to hurry up so I could start Pranking.

I had the honour of the first Prank against Edward 'call me Ted' Tonks. No, I won't call you Ted. That's a good enough Prank in itself – yell Edward at the creepy stalker as loudly and as many times as possible. Apparently, he hates his born name.

So, let's call him it all the more.

But no, I had more important things to do. This Prank was, I had to say, genius. Pure genius.

We had sanctioned ourselves to each come up with an idea, to Prank The Current Victim.

We had also decided that for future Pranks, this would be our main way of Pranking The Current Victim(s) (Generally one person or a small group) for a Mild Offence (such as following Lily and her friends. I objected, saying it was a Major Offence, but Frank argued that The Current Victim(s) hadn't done anything to us directly, therefore it was only Mild).

For a Major Offence, however, we had decided that The Current Victim(s) would be subject to one Major, altogether Prank performed by all four of us (Major Offence example: Snivellus poisoning me. Major Prank: The tights/spots prank)

We also decided that in the case of Snivellus, who was The Permanent Victim, there would be a constant bombardment of Pranks, which would worsen according to his retaliation.

And, because teachers are obviously more important than students, as any law abiding, model student would say, they got a Two Person Prank. One to distract (generally Frank or Remus) and One to perform (generally me or Sirius).

Then there were The House Pranks, which took two people to execute the Prank and two people to distract the group. These would be mainly against the Slytherins, naturally.

And then, last of all, were The Grand Pranks. The ones we would do at the beginning of each year, to welcome everyone, and the end of each year, to say goodbye. These would be performed by everyone.

The great thing about the system was the diversity. There was no racism or pure blood ideals in our group; Pranks were for everyone, pure blood, muggle born, black, white whoever you were. You could be Pranked.

We were kind like that.

Anyway, enough day dreaming. It was nearing the end of flying class, and our next lesson was Transfiguration. With the Hufflepuffs.

Excellent…

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**In the middle of Transfiguration class**

Oh, you can always count on Minnie to keep one spell going for two lessons. It's good, proper teaching techniques.

So, as I had planned, this lesson was about turning matches into needles.

Fun, fun, fun.

We were set to work in partners. I was with Frank, and Sirius was with Remus. Edward Tonks was with some podgy boy called Edgar Bones.

I edged closer to them; they were placed perfectly; it was like Minnie _wanted_ us to Prank him.

Concentrating, I lifted my wand. I had spent all night trying to learn how to transfigure more than one thing at once.

I muttered the spell, flicked my wand over the ten, long, slim _match like _victims on The Current Victim's anatomy. Then, I turned back to my table, and pretended to struggle turning the one match into a needle, secretly counting down in my head.

Three…two…one…

"ARGH!" We have lift off!

"MY HANDS! MY _HANDS!_"

I turned, trying to look as shocked as everyone else, and saw one of the funniest sights that had ever graced my eyes in a transfiguration lesson.

Up to then, at least.

Edward Tonks was standing on top of his desk, face pale, mouth wide open, and staring down at his hands, the ten originally bony fingers were now…

"_NEEDLES!" _He screeched "MY HANDS ARE _NEEDLES! _PROFESSOR!"

"Yes, Mr Tonks, I had noticed you were preoccupied from your work when you jumped on the table and proceeded to scream" Minnie (Professor McGonagall) said curtly.

That did it; for me, and for Sirius, and Remus, and Frank, and Lily, and Alice and the rest of the class. We were all howling with laughter, tears of mirth rolling down our cheeks as the unfortunate Edward Tonks screamed and cried that his fingers were now metallic and shining.

Oh, it was worth all that work.

"Mr Tonks!" I could hear Minnie reproach him "Mr Tonks! If you would let me near your hands, I can transfigure them back…Mr Tonks!"

But Edward Tonks wouldn't let anyone near his hands, and instead bolted out of the room, tears streaming down his face, screaming like a banshee, and tucking his hands into his armpits and flapping his elbows like a chicken.

Minnie stood at the front of the classroom as we all began calming down and taking our seats. She eyed us all suspiciously, her pupils travelling across the class. And then they centred on me.

I had known this before. It was what we wanted. To be _discovered. _Known.

We wanted the entire school, bit by bit, to know that We were about, and We were Prankers.

Well, we hadn't got a name yet.

But we'd get one soon.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At the end of the lesson**

"Mr Potter" clipped Minnie "would you stay behind please?" she sounded stern. Perfect. Now everyone would know it was me.

"Of course Professor. The pleasure is all mine, I can assure-"

"Yes, that will be enough, Mr Potter" A few people snickered as they left the classroom.

I packed my things, and then walked to the supposedly ominous desk. It didn't bother me that much.

"Mr Potter, I strongly suspect it was you who transfigured Mr Tonks' hands, but I can't prove it-"

"Yes, you can Professor. I did it. I own up."

"You _own up"_

"Yes, Professor. My Dad always told me that you live with your actions, and that you let them known."

"Very wise. In that case, I shall have to deduct five points from Gryffindor for that bit of marauding. But, I shall add some too. Two points shall be added to your honesty, and ten points shall be added for you superb transfiguration skills." I grinned and she added "Not all first year students could do that, you know Mr Potter"

I nodded. "Thank you Professor. Now, if I may be excused, I have a potions lesson which I am simply dying to go to. I cannot _wait _for my latest allowance of dungeon-time with the Slytherins. Marvellous, generous bunch aren't they? Always kind, always caring- always looking out for us Gryffindors. Simply smashing. Have a nice day Professor"

As I left the room, I saw her reflection in the window on the door, and I could swear she was smiling.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV – The Next Morning**

Oh, my Prank was going to be fun!

It might not be as good as James' – but then, James' was the opening Prank, and he was the most angry with Tonks.

Yes, it might not be as good as James' – but it would sure as hell be fun.

We were walking up to the Charms classroom, and James was telling us about what Minnie had said.

"Well, you know we thought we should have a name, our group?" we nodded in agreement "I think I've got one. You see, when Minnie was deducting points, she said "In that case, I shall have to deduct five points from Gryffindor for that bit of _marauding_""

"So?" I asked

"Don't you see it? Marauding! It's perfect!"

"So, you want us to be called "Marauding"" I raised an eyebrow sceptically.

"No. I want us to be called The Marauders"

There was a long silence.

Then

"Perfect" all four of us said at once, grinning like only a Marauder can.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**In the middle of charms**

Thank Merlin for the teachers and their funny little ways of teaching the same thing for two lessons so the thickies could catch up. Thank Merlin for thickies, actually.

We were levitating feathers, again. This was perfect of course, for my plan. I was partnered with James, so of course we were both doing it easily, as well as Remus and Frank on the table next to us.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" said James, lifting the feather into the air and making it dance about. I used this as my cue.

I pulled out my wand, and my eyes zeroed in on Edward Tonks. Tonksy, as I would now like to call him.

Sitting down, I put the wand under the desk so no one would notice me, then murmured

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

It began.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

Edward Tonks lifted six foot into the air before he noticed he was levitating. I could barely contain my laughter, but The Prank depended on me holding it together.

"ARGH!" he yelled, face whitening for the second time today.

"WHO'S DOING IT? WHY AM I – ARGH!"

I played with him a little. I tossed him from side to side with my wand, making him dance like a clumsy, levitating ballerina.

"Dance, monkey dance" I heard James mutter and I nearly lost it then.

"WHY" I tossed him to the left "AM" To the right "I" Up in the air "LEVITATING?!" He screeched as I span him round in a circle.

The class was in fits of laughter, and I let a little laughter out too, mainly so I didn't look suspicious. I twirled him round and flipped him and somersaulted him. After a while I stopped doing anything, and let the class calm down.

Then I made him flip again.

The class collapsed in fits again, and I pretended to join them, but secretly I was just letting him hang just above the ground. So close to the floor he could nearly touch it…

But not quite.

"Mr Black" called Flitwick. Yes! He knew it was me! "Would you kindly let Mr Tonks down now?" I tossed Tonks from the left to the right, meaning I was shaking my head.

No.

"Ah well. Very well then. Just…no more back flips please. The poor boy might get a headache."

I tossed him up, then down.

Yes.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At the end of the lesson**

"Mr Black would you stay behind please?" Flitwick called, sounding only a little stern.

"Of course Professor."

I packed my things, and then walked to the tiny desk, on which Flitwick was stood on a pile of book to reach my shoulder.

"Mr Black, I know it was you who charmed Mr Tonks to levitate"

"Yes Professor."

"Unfortunately, I shall have to deduct five points from Gryffindor. However, ten points shall be added for you superb Charms skills, and two for cheek." I grinned and he added "Not all first year students could do that, you know Mr Black"

I nodded. "Thank you Professor. Have a nice day"

As I left the room, I saw his reflection in the window on the door, and I could swear he was smiling.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Remus' POV – The Next Day**

The Marauders…The Marauders…

Thank Merlin Minnie had mentioned marauding to James, or we might have been stuck with some stupid, childish name like "The Pranksters" or something like that.

_My _Prank would be very, very simple. All I can say is Professor Binns was going to get a big surprise.

And so was Edward Tonks.

It was a spell I looked up quite a while ago, combined with some…supplies…that James had brought to Hogwarts.

It would be amusing.

I had thought that I wouldn't want to do it. That I wouldn't want to Prank someone.

But, with a combination of not wanting to lose my friends and being angry for him scaring Lily (she was my friend after all, and James' almost-sort-of-girlfriend) I found that I was quite relishing the idea of what was going to happen in the next lesson after lunch. I had a feeling that I would enjoy it while it happened, too.

Ah well. Plenty to ponder another day.

"Remus?" James whined

"Yes…"

"Please tell your Prank"

"No! You didn't tell! Sirius didn't tell! Frank hasn't told!"

"Yeah, but you have this look in your eye…something tells me you're going to do something _evil _Remus John Lupin"

"Maybe I am. And you'll se it quite, quite soon." I grinned. He stuck his tongue out at me.

What a mature boy our James is.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**The middle of history of magic (A/N Prof Binns is NOT a ghost at this point. He is a human bean)**

I had to do it soon, or there would be no chance of me getting a good Prank out of it.

And also, James kept shooting me glances from his table with Frank that clearly spelled out "HURRY UP! I WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE UP TO!"

Charming.

I got up, and walked out the front of the classroom and placed a book on the desk. As I was walking back, I took it out of my pocket, and put it carefully on Edward Tonks' head.

No one had looked up.

Except The Marauders.

Then, I scattered the powder round the area he was sitting.

Merlin, he was dumb. He didn't even _notice!_

I quickly went back to my seat, and watched.

A note hit my head.

_How're you going to detonate it? James_

I just raised my eyebrows, and grinned.

Tonks scratched his leg without looking away from his parchment.

That was my cue.

I pulled my wand out, and whispered

"_Narro vestri diligo!"_

And everything began to happen at once.

Tonks burst out of his chair, detonating the dungbomb that had been lying on his head, making it count down to the explosion. The itching powder was making him scratch all over…everything he could reach…

Then the spell started

"Professor Binns. Professor Binns!" Edward cried, jumping on the table, itching.

"Yes, Mr Trenkins?"

"I love you Professor Binns!" That was when the dungbomb exploded, spreading a disgusting smell throughout the room.

Edward Tonks screwed up his nose, but was otherwise undeterred.

"Professor Binns! I love you, and if you would do me the honour, I would like to make you my wife" Tonks got down on one knee, still itching desperately. The Marauders, as well as the rest of the class, was, for the third day in a row, crying laughing at Edward Tonks. The poor boy looked around urgently, but couldn't stop the words coming out of his mouth.

"Professor Binns, I know we're young" he proclaimed to the 90 something year old, bushy moustached wizard "and I know we haven't known one another for long, but Professor Binns, I would make you my wife, and I would make you the bearer of my heirs. I love you, sir, I LOVE YOU!" He yelled, loud enough for the entire floor to hear, still itching.

"Get the boy to the hospital wing" said Professor Binns faintly.

Two Hufflepuffs, still howling with laughter, pulled the scratching boy who was still proclaiming his love to Professor Binns out of the classroom. Professor Binns just sat down and said, just as faintly as before

"Class Dismissed"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**After the class**

"Remus –"James choked out "That – was – brilliant!"

"I know" I breathed between laughs

"Where – did – even – find – that – spell?" gasped Frank

"Library" I panted

"Glad – to – hear – there's – a – use – for – it" wheezed Sirius

We somehow made our way up to the Gryffindor Common Room, then collapsed on a sofa, reliving the moments in our head, and howling with laughter for the entire night.

I had done well.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Frank's POV – The Next Day**

It's all very well and good James, Sirius and Remus pulling off those Spectacular Pranks, but what could _I _do, compared to them?

And the only subject we had left with the Hufflepuffs was Herbology. I'd had a mediocre Prank planned, but I couldn't very well do it now, could I? Not after James turning his fingers into needles, and Sirius levitating him all over the place, and Remus casting that spell, setting of a dungbomb and putting itching powder all over him.

All through the day – Herbology was the last class – I pondered what I could do.

And then it came to me.

_Mimbulus Mimblemtonia!_

At lunch I told Sirius that I'd be back in a bit, I just had to set something up. He grinned, guessing what I was talking about, and I saw the undeniable twinkle of excitement in his eye.

The look before the Prank.

I made my way down to the grounds, then to the greenhouses.

It took me twenty minutes to find what I needed, but there it was, tucked away behind a mandrake.

I pulled it out triumphantly. Now…where did he sit in Herbology…?

Ah! I found it, and placed it strategically on the end of the bench in front of him. Then, I remembered the charm my Mum had used once to make a cake follow me round until I tried it one day. I smiled, reliving the memory.

I shook myself, and then stuck the plant to the table with a simple sticking spell. It would hold it down for a few days. Unless someone applied the counter curse…

I muttered the spell…the main one…and finished it off with the victim

"Edward Tonks" I pronounced clearly. The plant struggled desperately to find its fixation, but first I had to prod it in exactly the right place…there. I jumped back as it sprayed Stinksap around. Brilliant.

Then, in one of the thirty second breaks between the stinksap, I took the sticking spell off, and it zoomed off, spraying stinksap to find it's new…friend.

I hurried back to the dinner hall.

"Where've you been, Frank?" asked Remus. He was always really polite to everyone and very nice too.

"You'll see." I grinned wickedly. And at exactly that moment…

Edward Tonks burst into the great hall, Stinksap covering his robes and skin. The Marauders looked at me, stunned. And then they noticed the little green plant bobbing up and down around his shoulder.

It sprayed more Stinksap at him, recovering him.

The whole hall burst into laughter.

Everyone was pointing at him, sneering, laughing.

"You did that?" howled Sirius

"Yep" I chuckled

"How long will it last?" Remus guffawed

"A few days"

"Brilliant!" James gasped

He stomped around the hall, demanding to know what had happened, why this was happening. He shouted and he hollered and her screamed and he screeched and he yelled and he bellowed.

And all anyone else could do was laugh.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**That Evening**

We collapsed down in the Common Room. The Mimbulus Mimblemtonia had been following Tonks round all day, spraying him every thirty seconds. None of the teachers could stop it, and it had been a source of endless amusement for the rest of the student body.

And probably quite a few of the teachers, too. But they'd never tell us.

The point was, everyone knew we had done it.

Everyone knew that the Marauders had started their campaign at Hogwarts, and none of them knew when it was going to end.

Sirius went up to the dorm, and came back with four butterbeers.

We each clasped one in our hands "To The Marauders" We roared, and poured the delicious liquid down our throats.

James looked up at us, and we looked back.

"To The Marauders" he said again "A successful campaign of Pranking"

We roared in approval and drank the rest of the butterbeers in one.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Like it? Hate it?**

**Whatever just please review! Please!**

**This was a really long chapter though – Exactly 3320 words!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	14. Chapter 14: The Marauders Are About

**Well howdy guys**

**I'm not guaranteeing anything, but all the reviews that said anything about sequels said I should do it, so I think I probably will =O =D**

**Exciting, huh?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. But I do own the spell that Remus used in the last chapter ;)**

**POVs: James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV – A few days later**

I whistled as I walked over to the Greenhouse. Today, the Mimbulus Mimblemtonia Frank had enchanted to follow The Current Victim had stopped following him earlier today, and he had settled into a comfortable false sense of security.

What he _didn't _know was that the plant had zoomed back to the place Frank had used a sticking spell to attach it to. This meant that when he sat down in herbology next lesson, Frank would once again get splashed with Stinksap. Just the one time.

To make him paranoid.

I was certainly very interested in what his reaction would be – rage? Tears? Terror? Hatred? Confusion?

Probably a bit of all of them.

Anyhow, I wanted him to find out it was us, so I could tell him why we'd been doing it. Yes, it was a funny, enjoyable and intelligent thing to do, but I wanted him to know _why _we'd done it, so he'd stop following Lily and her friends around. Of course, that could well be amusing in itself.

Sirius was sad that the Pranks were nearly over. Remus was reflecting on something; probably why we'd done it all. Frank just looked constantly surprised he'd actually pulled a Prank off.

By the time we arrived at the Greenhouse, nearly everyone else was there. Actually, I think everyone else was there full stop. Oh well. We sat down in our given places, and saw the look of terror on Tonks' face when he saw the Mimbulus Mimblemtonia perched on the desk in front of him.

Oh, we are devious.

Well, Frank is anyway.

The lesson commenced. We were just being lectured today, and taking notes on what Professor Sprout said.

I noticed that Tonks kept looking up nervously at the plant in front of him, as if it might explode any second.

How intuitive of him.

The lesson neared to a close, and it seemed that Tonks had been lured into a false sense of security that the plant would not spray him.

That was when Frank took his action. He got up to take a book to the front of the class, and, as he went past, subtly poked the plant from the other side of the table, so Tonks couldn't see him. Then he moved. Quickly.

The plant bulged and pulsed for a few moments, and then Stinksap exploded out of it, all over Tonks, who screamed like a little girl.

Sirius, Frank and I couldn't stop laughing. I wondered for a moment why Remus wasn't joining us, the spotted that his right sleeve had been completely covered in the slimy green substance. Instead of being a good friend and not laughing, I laughed even harder.

Oh, I'm a loyal friend.

The class ended with the three of us still laughing hysterically.

Remus came out of the greenhouse after we had burst out, and looked furious. One look silenced us all.

"_Scourgify!" _he pointed at his arm, and the Stinksap went away. He looked at us again, and we looked back at him, and then we all simultaneously burst out laughing. Again.

Then a short, chubby figure advanced towards us, and with a look of fury on his face, Tonks yelled

"POTTER!"

"Yes, Tonksy?" I replied politely

"It's _you. _You and your gang- The Marauders or whatever sad little name you've given yourselves." Remus' hand tightened on his wand, but I sent him a warning look and he relaxed slightly "You're the ones who've been Pranking me, turning my fingers into needles, levitating me, making me itch and proclaim my love to teachers and making that bloody plant follow me round spraying me every 5 seconds!"

"30 actually" everyone looked at Frank, and he smiled slightly and said "every thirty seconds"

We all had to hold in our laughter.

"WHATEVER! Potter, you and your friends have been Pranking me, and I'm not going to let it happen again"

He turned around to storm off, and Sirius whipped his wand out and pulled him up into the air with a swish and flick, and a mutter of _"Wingardium Leviosa!"_

"Seem familiar, Tonksy?" He said maliciously. I grinned and pointed my wand at him. His fingers turned into needles again, and he screamed as he struggled in the air.

"ARGH!"

"Oh calm _down _Tonksy. Remus, distract him if you will"

Remus pointed his wand and called _"__Narro vestri diligo!"_

Much to Tonks' horror, he started shouting to Sirius

"Sirius! Sirius I LOVE YOU!" We howled with laughter as Tonks desperately tried to stop his mouth from proclaiming love to Sirius, but it ignored him and carried on regardless

For the final touch, Frank ran in and got the Mimbulus Mimblemtonia and made it follow Frank up into the air, spraying him with Stinksap as he went.

"Sirius, please listen to me, and don't laugh, I love you, I always have and I always will, Sirius!" Sirius wiped a tear from his eye from mirth.

"Remus, take the spell of him, it's distracting us." He choked out, and Remus muttered the anti jinx. Before Tonks could say a word, Sirius dropped him to the floor, and I said, very calmly

"Unless you want an all out massacre, stop following Lily Evans, Alice Prewett and/or Andromeda Meliflua around _now. _Understand?" I pointed my wand at him threateningly. He squeaked and nodded his head nervously.

And, to finish the show, I performed the leg locker curse on him, and we left, as he tried desperately to get up with his legs locked together.

I think that everybody learned a lesson from Edward Tonks.

The Marauders are about.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sorry about the last line, it was stupidly cheesy.**

**Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	15. Chapter 15: Trust Me

**Hi there guys! This should be quite a sad chapter following the funny ones, because it's more James/Lily stuff. Dramatic though.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter =(**

**POVs: Lily, James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV – A week later**

I walked out of the entrance onto the grounds. I took a deep breath of the fresh, cold Scottish air, and leisurely walked to a clearing with shady trees around it. I sat under a tree and got a book out.

The book took my mind for a while – taking me into a world of fantasy, where nothing would go wrong. The princess would find her prince and would not reject him because she didn't want to upset some slimy git with a big nose who was up to his eyeballs in the dark arts…

But I digress.

I looked up from my book when I heard a noise a few yards away from me. It was James, walking across the clearing to the shade of another tree. I was indecisive for only a few moments, but then I got up and went to sit next to him.

He didn't look at me.

I tried to talk to him.

"So…not Pranking Edward Tonks anymore?"

"No." he replied emotionlessly

"Why were you Pranking him in the first place?"

He just shrugged.

"James!"

"What?" he sounded like a really stupid zombie

"You sound like a really stupid zombie"

"Thanks. I have to go"

"No, James, I didn't mean it, I was only joking" I got up to follow him, but he didn't look back at me.

"James! Why aren't you looking at me?"

No answer

"James! Please-" but he just broke into a run.

Me being me, I ran after him.

"James! What the hell is _wrong _with you?"

"Nothing"

"Yeah, right. James-" I was going to ask why he was ignoring me, but something stopped me

"Yes Evans?" Him not using my first name stung me like a slap. I stared at him, my eyes swimming with tears. Surprisingly, my voice came out much stronger than I felt inside

"Potter. Why are we here?"

I motioned outwards, and he looked where my hand was pointing. He seemed as surprised as I was.

We were stood beside the Black Lake.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

Why wouldn't she leave me alone? It was hard enough, without her asking me to look at her…just the sound of her voice made me want to break my vow to protect her, and kiss her straight on the mouth. If I looked at her…even by accident, I would lose every essence of willpower.

So, instead of looking at the fiery haired angel beside me, I stared out to where she was pointing.

We were stood beside the Black Lake.

I was surprised that my legs had brought me here of all places, but it made sense.

My legs took me to the place where she had been hurt, the place where I nearly caused her death.

The one place I knew I would be able to resist her.

I stared into the depths of the swirling black waters. It had occurred to me, afterwards, that if Lily had died of her wounds, this would be where I died.

I couldn't live without her.

But, at the same time, I couldn't live with her.

I could see her reflection in the mirror like waters. She was looking at me, probably wondering what was going on in my head. The sight of her sent a shiver down my spine, but it also brought back the memories of _that day._

Her gracefully falling to the ground…her blood…the panic, not being able to do anything to help her…not enough bandages…not knowing what to do…her pain.

Her pain.

Lily Evans' pain was unbearable to me. Like someone was stabbing me through the heart.

I turned to her, finding strength to resist everything my heart was telling me to do in the memories of Lily's pain.

She was breathtaking. Her eyes looked even bigger than they normally did, shining emeralds locking with my plain hazel eyes. Her skin was a perfect ivory and her hair was like fire, curling like flames at the bottom.

I knew I loved her. And this was why I had to do it.

"It's better for you if I do this. Trust me" I leaned forward, a single tear tricking down my face that transferred onto her faultless skin as I kissed her cheek with a love like nothing I had ever felt before.

And then I walked away. And I didn't look back.

I could never look back.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Dramatic, much? Sorry it's short =( But I'll be updating again later =)**

**W****ell, I hope you liked it anyways**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	16. Chapter 16: Christmas Eve

**And now we have a time skip. We're moving on to Halloween, then Christmas Eve, because the stuff in between is boring. Except Bonfire Night! So, they ate toffee apples and watched giant Marauder Fireworks on Bonfire Night. The rest isn't really important, apart from Lily ad James haven't spoken since September, the day in the last chapter by the Black Lake.**

**Oh, another thing, the stairs to the girl's common room aren't enchanted yet – boys can still go in. It's very important.**

**Disclaimer:**

**Me: I own Harry Potter**

**Reader: Really?!**

**Me: No.**

**POVs: Frank, Alice, James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Frank's POV**

Just over a month went by since James and Lily had met up by the lake. We hadn't heard much – well, Sirius might have, but he was practically James' brother – but we knew that something had happened by the lake and Lily and James hadn't spoken since.

For the first week, there was a depression. James refused to talk to anyone, eat anything, or even go for his normal flying sessions he had three times a week with Sirius. It got to the point where his clothes were hanging off of him, and Sirius spoke to him.

When I say _spoke_

Sirius walked up to James and said

"James, mate, I really need to talk to you" He sounded worried.

Guilt flashed over James' face. If something was wrong with Sirius, and he had been ignoring it, we all knew how badly he would have felt.

"Sure, Sirius, what's up?"

Sirius, in response, had punched him in the face, breaking his nose, and replied

"Stop being such a prat" then began to walk off.

For a moment, James looked lost. Then, he pointed his wand at his nose and said _"Episkey", _then grinned and jumped on Sirius.

The two had mock fought for over twenty minutes in the Gryffindor Common Room, whilst the entire house and Professor McGonagall looked on, deeply confused.

And that was that. James was back to normal, and, by extension, so was Hogwarts. He threw himself into Pranks, setting traps for unsuspecting Slytherins and slightly more suspecting teachers at least four times a week.

It was brilliant.

However, for the past two days, we hadn't Pranked anyone or anything. We were concentrating, racking our brains on the subject of The Halloween Prank. It wasn't quite A Grand Prank, but it would still be played on the whole school, so it was pretty big.

And now was time for the Halloween Feast, and all four of us were itching to begin.

It had taken us quite a while. Not to come up with it – that had taken the four of us a matter of minutes (well, we are The Marauders, after all!). No, it was the making of it that had taken so long. Remus wanted to make it out of some muggle stuff called Papier Mache, but we had overruled him. So, in a bit of a huff, he went and found how to make it magically in the library. We'd locked the dorm and sat around it, trying out different spells and seeing what worked.

And, in the end, we thought the result – at least in the dormitory – had been quite impressive. Of course, it wasn't the real thing. It wouldn't have fit in the dormitory. Much too big. We practiced with a scaled down model back there.

We walked in a horizontal line, as we always did. Me, then Sirius, then James, then Remus. It was just the way it was. James was clearly the pack leader, Sirius was his best friend and me and Remus just stuck on the outside. I don't really know how we allocated which side we would go on, we just sort of ended up like that.

We sat down in the Great Hall, and everyone was whispering. We had our Prank faces on – mostly innocent, but with a twinkle in the eye and a slightly cocky smile. Of course, everyone was _expecting _a Prank. It was Halloween for Godric's sake!

Dumbledore was watching us carefully. I don't think he didn't _want _us to not do the Prank – he didn't look stern – he just wanted to see any clues as to what we were doing. I think. Whatever it was, he looked amused more than any negative emotion.

I looked at James, and nodded towards Dumbledore. Consequently, the other two looked as well.

And, in that one instant when his pale blue eyes locked with a hazel pair, a brown pair, a grey pair and a green pair, I could swear I saw him wink.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Nearing the End of Dumbledore's Speech**

This was our cue. As soon as the speech ended, we would spring into action. My palms were sweating slightly as I clutched my wand in my right hand. Sirius looked over at me, and winked.

Dumbledore finished his speech, and the room burst into applause. Before I turned, I saw Dumbledore nod slightly at the four of us, and smile.

Then, it began.

"_Accio skeleton!" _whispered James. No one noticed

"_Accio suits of armour!" _Remus murmured. There was a great clamouring heard from across the entire school, and the applause began to slow.

"_Bombarda!" _I muttered under the sparse cover of the applause. The doors to the Great Hall burst open with a small explosion, making the clapping stopped altogether.

Into the Great Hall marched…

40 perfectly programmed suits of armour, which split into five groups of eight, and each group marched to a table, surrounding it with one at each end and three down each side.

Then, our creation burst in. A huge skeleton that was as tall as the ceiling. Girls screamed. It drooled (don't ask _me _how skeletons drool. It was Sirius' idea) over the Slytherin table, one drop covering the entire house. The Gryffindors cackled with laughter.

And then, when it got to the centre of the room, it belched deafeningly and fire burned out of its mouth.

"_Courtesy of The Marauders. Happy Halloween!" _And then the skeleton burst into hundreds of pumpkins, each pumpkin filled with sweets.

That had been the hardest bit.

Each pumpkin landed in front of a student or teacher. We grinned. We had calculated exactly right. There was one for every teacher, a slightly larger one for professor Dumbledore, and one for every single student (including ourselves, of course).

The suits of armour then let out an echoing shriek, and a green mist set over the hall, blocking everyone's vision. By the time it cleared, the suits of armour were gone, and all that was left of our Prank was the fiery words burning in the air, and the sweet-filled pumpkins.

I don't even know why we needed the suits of armour, but then again I'm not going to ask. I really don't want to find out how Sirius' mind works.

All in all, a very successful Prank

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Bonfire Night, see A/N at top**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Alice's POV – Christmas Eve**

Andie, Lily and I were still at Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays. We were three of the few.

In fact, three of the seven.

The only other four students in the entire school that were staying at Hogwarts were the Marauders. I don't know why Sirius and James are staying – someone said Sirius didn't like his family and James didn't want to leave him – but both Remus and Frank's parents had gone away for the holiday, so they were staying.

So, I stayed because Frank was staying, Andie stayed because Sirius was staying and Lily stayed – she says – because her sister's boyfriend is going to be there. I reckon it's just because James is staying but hey, nobody asks the best friend.

Christmas Eve had dawned, and we were woken up with a clamouring sound.

My initial thought was _Oh bloody hell they've got some of those suits of armour again_

The three of us walked into the common room, bleary eyed, but fully ready to kick armour ass.

And there we found the Marauders, with several pots and pans and a small fire.

"What" I said in a disgusted tone

"The" Andie added

"Hell?" Lily finished. We stood there, hands on hips, stern faces on.

And _then _we realised they were all topless.

I was staring at Frank open mouthed, Andie was drooling at Sirius and _Lily _had her eyes glued to James' chest, and even when I nudged her she couldn't tear them away.

And then _they _realised we were in camisoles and Very Short Short Shorts.

So, Frank was staring at me open mouthed, Sirius was drooling over Andie and _James _had his eyes glued to Lily's legs, and even when Remus nudged him, he couldn't tear them away.

"Nngh" said Lily, and then she looked at me

"Mfff" I replied, and looked at Andie

"Hggh" Andie articulated, and then we all screamed and ran up to our dormitory, and the boys scrambled to their feet and ran after us.

We slammed the door shut in their faces and put all our combined weight against it. I heard Remus; probably still sat on the floor of the common room sigh and I could almost see him rolling his eyes.

"Merlin, I'm so glad I shaved my legs last night" Lily said.

Andie and I both nodded in agreement. We had too.

The boys were pressed up against the other side of the door, and then suddenly I could feel their weight go off it.

Andie and I stepped away.

Lily didn't

"_Bombarda!" _yelled James, and the door exploded, throwing Lily back onto her bed with her legs in the air.

Frank, James and Sirius burst in, to see Andie and I almost crying with laughter on the floor and Lily in her…interesting…position.

Sirius jumped on Andie and silenced her giggling with his lips. He pushed her behind the bed – thank Godric – so none of us could see.

Frank sidled over to me and kissed me on the cheek, then whispered in my ear

"Nice shorts" And I giggled even more.

Last to move was James. He walked slowly and hesitantly over to Lily, and bent over to lift her up.

He jerked upwards and stepped away, bright red in the face.

Lily screamed, got up off the bed, clutching her hand over her left breast.

"JAMES! SIRIUS! FRANK!" She screeched at the top of her voice"GET YOUR ASSES OUT OF THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW!"

Lily might be incredibly beautiful, with a fairy like build, and she might be kind and pleasant most of the time, but when that girl is angry, she is _terrifying._

The boys were out of the room with the door shut behind them within four seconds.

"What happened?" asked Andie, sounding a little spaced out.

"James went to lift me up, and…err…"

"What?" I asked, frustrated.

She lifted he hand off her boob, Andie and I shared a look, and then we both burst out laughing.

The patch of Lily's camisole over her left boob had come off in the blast.

And she hadn't covered it up for James.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**That evening, in the common room by the fire**

I sat, cuddled up on a loveseat next to Frank. Andie was sitting on Sirius' lap opposite us. Lily was sitting awkwardly in between James and Remus on the sofa opposite the fire, so the sofas and the fire were in a perfect square.

We sat down in the common room for a long time, laughing, joking. Telling stories about past Christmas'. It was one of those times where nothing amazing has happened, but still s one of the happiest moments in your life. A warm, fuzzy happiness that sits in the pit of your stomach and makes you smile.

Everyone could see that James and Lily were beginning to warm up to each other. They were even using first names. And having real conversations.

Sure, it wasn't making out, but it was a start.

We went up to bed, wishing each other a Happy Christmas Eve and hugging and kissing and making little jokes. The three of us were all tucked in comfortably (Andie was in the same room as us for the holidays because no one was in her dorm) and Andie and Lily had fallen sound asleep.

I was just drifting in between consciousness, when I thought I could hear the door click. I looked vaguely and saw a James-shaped figure standing next to Lily's bed. He tucked the blanket in, and kissed her on the forehead.

_Aww _I thought as I went to sleep _I hope Frank doesn't do that; I don't want him to hear me snore_

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

After tucking Lily in, as I did every night, I crept into the boy's dormitory again.

Remus and Frank were talking quietly, and Sirius was sat on his bed, flicking through a Quidditch magazine.

"Lily?" He asked without looking up

"Yep" I replied, collapsing down onto my bed.

"You're freakishly in love with her, James"

"I know. Now shut up, I'm going to sleep"

"Get changed mate" I rolled my eyes and groaned as I got up, following Sirius' orders. I stripped all of my clothes off, leaving just my boxers on, and then collapsed back onto the bed.

"You are though James. Freakishly in love with her"

"I know." I rolled over, begging for sleep to come "I know"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**The next morning**

I was sleeping peacefully, dreaming of Lily, and her incredible beauty.

Suddenly, I was abruptly awoken by a small but accurate missile landing on top of me, a flash of red hair, and some sort of liquid tricking down my chest.

Whaa?

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**So, what's happened? Why is this red haired missile landing on James' bed on Christmas day?**

**Find out in the next chapter!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	17. Chapter 17: Christmas Disaster

**Hi Guys =)**

**Firstly, I'd like to say a big thank you to Confused55 and Ridingstar59. You're great, you keep reviewing, and that makes me love you!**

**And thank you to the people who've added me to story alert etc too!**

**And my anonymous reviewers! I don't know who you are (well, you are anonymous) but you are all very cool**

**Anyways this chapter explains about the missile that landed on James' bed.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm poor. ;)**

**POVs: James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

_Suddenly, I was abruptly awoken by a small but accurate missile landing on top of me, a flash of red hair, and some sort of liquid tricking down my chest._

Lily was curled up in a ball against my torso, crying her eyes out. Without even thinking about it I put my arms around her and began to stroke her hair in what I hope was a soothing manner. Alice and Andromeda had also entered the boys' dormitory behind her, but in a somewhat slower method.

I.e. they walked.

I mouthed over the top of Lily's hair "What?"

They just shrugged.

So, something had happened, and Lily hadn't even bothered to tell her best friends, and instead ran into the boys' dorm and jumped on me.

That made no sense.

Lily cried for what seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes. Hearing her tears, feeling her pain…it was like someone was stabbing me over and over again.

Eventually, Andromeda and Alice (or the AA Team) dispersed off to their respective boyfriends, and I was left on my own with Lily, her tears trickling down my chest.

"Lily" I whispered in her ear. She sniffed in response.

"Lily, what's wrong" I whispered. She clutched onto me and cried even harder. Okay, that didn't go according to plan.

"Lily, please, please don't cry. Please. What's happened? Please, please tell me."

"Daddy" I heard her whisper, and my stomach plummeted. Something had happened to her Dad? Oh, Merlin. I would never be able to comfort her about something like that.

"What happened, Lily?" I found myself saying even though my mind was screaming JUST SHUT UP AND HUG HER YOU IDIOT!!!

"Dad…Dad…Dad had a heart attack" she sobbed, muffled slightly by my chest "He's in hospi…hosp…"

"Hospital" I said gently.

"Yes. They don't know if he's going to make it" Her voice cracked on these final words and I hugged her fiercely to my chest. I didn't say anything – what could I say? – but just hugged her, and stroked her beautiful hair.

"Remus" I muttered, and he was sat next to me in a second "Go and get the girl's presents from their dormitory. Quickly"

He nodded and hurried off. I couldn't make Lily heal from this, but I was James Potter, and I knew nothing cheered people up like presents.

So, when Remus came back laden with gifts in every colour wrapping paper with every colour bow, the others all got the picture. Every present in the room was dumped at the side of my bed, and all seven of us squeezed onto the four poster. Alice leant over to Lily and murmured

"Comfortable, Lily?" but Lily acted as if she hadn't heard, and I followed her example.

"Presents!" exclaimed Andromeda, grinning like a maniac. For a moment, I was terrified. Truly terrified.

We had all got presents for each other, one way or another. I had got my parents to buy them and send them to Hogwarts for me, but I don't know how the others had done it.

I got a Montrose Magpies Quidditch Team shirt from Andie, a Do It Yourself Broomcare set from Lily, a gift set of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans from Alice, a giant fake tarantula from Frank, a bag of dungbombs from Remus and a magical penknife and a mirror from Sirius that was enchanted so if I said "Sirius Black" into it, we could talk through our mirrors (he had a matching one).

There were only two more presents left. A big, soft, squishy one for me, and a small, hard, rectangular shaped one for Lily.

I tried not to look at Lily's present. Of course, I knew exactly what it was; it was from me.

I picked up the one for me, and looked at the note. It was from Dad!

_Dear James_

_Your mother doesn't know I've sent this. In fact, she thinks it's a basket of sweets._

_It's been passed down in our family for centuries, and is the best one of it's kind._

_Use it well._

_Dad_

Hmm…passed down in the family for centuries, eh? I tore open the paper, and gasped. Was it? It was!

In my hands was an invisibility cloak.

"James…" gasped Sirius in hushed tones "Is that what I think it is"

"It is" murmured Frank

"It's…an invisibility cloak" breathed Remus.

"Put it on!" said Andie excitedly. I swooped it over my head.

"Wow" said Alice

"ARGH! I'm being hugged by an invisible person" screamed Lily, and we all laughed, breaking the tension.

"Come on Lily, open that present" Alice plopped the gift in Lily's lap, and I put the cloak on again.

Sirius sniggered, and I hit him.

Lily opened it, and found the box. I could feel myself going red. She opened the box gasped.

The other two girls cooed like it was a baby.

Sirius joined in, and I hit him again.

Inside the box was a silver necklace with an L shaped pendant, encrusted with diamonds. Lily just sat there, staring at it. I nudged her. She didn't take her eyes from it. I nudged her again, and she looked at me, (I had now removed the cloak) and burst into tears again, then said

"I only got you that bloody broomstick thing"

I laughed and hugged her. We all sat on my bed, laughing and joking with each other. Lily was actually smiling, which was a hell of a lot better than she had been earlier. Eventually, I decided it was time we got up, and ordered the girls out. Even Lily.

They waved goodbye and went off to get dressed and whatever girls to in their rooms. I shoved on the Quidditch shirt Andie had got me, some random jeans I found at the bottom of my drawer, and tried in vain to tidy my hair.

After a while, I gave up, and just messed it up with my hand. That was when Alice came in to get us.

"James" she said "You look kind of cute when you mess up your hair like that. Oops, sorry Frank" then she skipped out. Frank gaped at me, then jumped in the air and landed on me, laughing like an idiot and pretending to kill me at the same time.

My first Christmas at Hogwarts. One missile crying all over me, a load of presents, Lily crying over her present and Frank trying to kill me.

It was good to be home.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Well, that was quite short. Hope you liked it.**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	18. Chapter 18: Christmas Rejection

**Hi guys**

**Well, Snivellus is back in the picture in this one!**

**Erm…yay?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter =(**

**POVs: Lily, Snape**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV – Before Christmas Dinner**

I sat in the girls' dormitory, holding the pendant of my necklace in disbelief. How much had this _cost? _I hated people spending any money, but this…

It was beautiful, there was no denying that. But, how could I possibly accept it? Mum had always taught me not to accept presents that looked more than £20, and this looked like it had cost a lot more than £20.

But, at the same time, I couldn't exactly go and _give _it to him, could I? He'd think I didn't like it…

Andie and Alice were chattering away all the way through my internal battle, but I only heard bits of it.

Dress…dinner…posh…white…pretty

You know, stuff like that.

Suddenly, I was pulled out of my train of thought, and before I knew it, The AA Team were throwing various items of clothing at me. I screamed and they just rolled their eyes and forced them on me with magic. Sure, Andie can't even levitate a feather, but she can shove clothes on people in a blink of an eye.

I ended up, somehow, in a stunning white dress of Alice's. It was bandeau and was as beautiful as a wedding dress but at the same time not as formal. It reached just below the knee, so it was 'respectable' as my mother would say. I looked in the mirror and gasped.

"It's beautiful" I breathed. I played with the hem a little and Alice slapped my hand away

"Don't ruin it, Missy" she said. I jumped. She sounded scarily like my mum.

Then she sat me down and started doing my makeup. She was moving so quickly that all I saw were swishes of her chocolate brown hair. Across the other side of the room, Andie was getting changed into a stunning red wrap dress. Alice was already in a midnight blue halterneck dress with a silver pattern like shooting stars.

"Guys" I asked hesitantly, and Alice tutted because I moved my face while she was doing my eyeliner "Why are we dressing up so much?"

"Because, Lilykins" replied Andie "We're going to Christmas dinner and Sirius, James and Frank will be there" her tone was clearly a 'duh' one.

"Oh" I said, and I started worrying. What would James say? Should I even care what he says? Oh, it was all so confusing. Wasn't I too young for love like this? I was only eleven for Godric's sake. It's not like I was some incredibly mature _woman. _I hardly fit my bra, for God's sake.

Alice spent quite a while on me, whilst Andie curled her hair by magic. After doing hers, she straightened Alice's with magic, and then 'enhanced' my 'natural curl' (ie she pointed her wand and did nothing)

When they were finished, Alice delicately put her hands over my eyes and took me to the mirror.

"Ready? Three, two, one…that's you Lily! Do you like it?"

I didn't know what to say. It couldn't be me, plain old Lily Evans. This girl was mature and beautiful. Her hair wasn't just ginger, it was like fiery silk that curled around her chest, and perfect ivory skin that I had never owned. Her eyes were a vivid emerald and clashed brilliantly with her hair, enhancing the dazzling colours of both of them

She was, as I have said, beautiful.

I stammered out that I liked it, and Alice said

"Good. Let's go then" I took a deep breath, and then walked out of the dormitory. The boys were waiting for us. All four of The Marauders were there, but I only had (vivid green) eyes for one of them. James had changed out of the Quidditch shirt and jeans he was wearing earlier, and had a blue shirt and black trousers on instead. You could tell just by looking at him that he'd changed at least four times, each time asking his friends for his opinion and each time not being satisfied with the response.

He, in turn, was staring at me, his mouth slightly open. He was going red as I walked over, him not taking his eyes off me, and I nearly giggled. It was sweet he was blushing.

Then he started going slightly purple, and I realised he had stopped breathing, and I stretched up to whisper in his ear

"Breathe, James" and he let out a gasp of air

"Lily" he said "You look beautiful" And this time it was my turn to blush.

"Well, it was all Alice really. And Andie, they were working on me for hours" I babbled "Curling my hair, doing my make up, making me get changed loads of times. I couldn't stop them, they were like the devil on crack." Where had _that _come from? Oh well, he didn't seem bothered at my apparent loss of brain.

"Lily"

"Yes"

"You're talking absolute rubbish"

"Yes, I know"

I giggled, and suddenly all the tension was gone. We started walking the long descent down to the Great Hall. Remus looked a bit glum, so I asked him what was wrong

"Nothing much" he cracked a weak smile "It's just, I'm dateless!"

"Oh, Remus" I sighed, feeling sorry for him

"Don't worry Remus" said Sirius "We'll set you up with Minnie, no trouble"

He earned a slap round the head from me, Andie and Remus.

It was fun, being in our big gang. We were always laughing, and it pushed the worries about Dad from my mind. In fact, I hadn't thought about him for a while, which sent a wave of guilt through my body, and made me want to cry again, but I didn't dare because I knew Alice would kill me for ruining my carefully sculpted face.

James noticed my sad expression, and squeezed the hand I hadn't really noticed he was holding; it seemed natural.

We arrived at the Great Hall, and found that there was only one table of the usual four house tables, and then there was the staff table, both in the midst of the spectacular decorations. Christmas Trees as big as the Halloween skeleton with baubles and tinsel to match.

We sat at the one student table, and noticed there was an empty place laid

"Wonder who that's for" said James, as I sat down in between him and the empty space.

"I didn't even know there was anyone except us _left _at Hogwarts" I replied

He shrugged "Probably just some Hufflepuff that forgot to go home" and we all laughed.

The doors opened again, and I turned my head to find who the mystery student was.

I groaned, and James snarled.

It was Severus.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Snape's POV**

Perfect. It couldn't be more perfect.

I had the luck to be sitting next to Lily, who looked even more breathtaking than usual.

Perfect.

The only fly in the ointment was that Potter was sat on the other side of her, but I could ignore him.

Lily, Lily, Lily.

Dumbledore said his speech, and we all tucked into our feast. I looked up at Lily at one point, and spotted a beautiful necklace with an L shaped pendant. Must be from her mum and dad or something.

"Lily" I said quietly "Who's the necklace from? Your Mum and Dad?"

Her eyes filled with tears and she clasped Potters hand. A wave of anger went over me, so strong that I barely even noticed the glares of the others at the table.

He was holding Lily's hand. And Lily had wanted him to.

I wanted to curse him into oblivion.

The meal processed awkwardly. The seven Gryffindors ignored me completely, and had their own private conversation, so I had to sit slightly separately from them all, and eat on my own. Rejection pierced my skin, but like all pain I ignored it.

Rule Number 1 for Severus Tobias Snape: Always ignore pain. If you don't it will swallow you up; there's just too much of it.

We just finished off pudding, and Lily was about to leave.

I pulled the box out from my jacket that I had wrapped in silver, and tried to give it to her

"Lily" I said, desperately "I have a present for you"

She looked at me, more coldly than I ever thought she was capable of

"No thank you _Snivellus_"

She ran out of the room, and her two friends followed her.

"Snivellus" snarled Potter "I think it's time we had a little chat" He grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and dragged me out of the hall, his friends following. The teachers were too drunk to notice.

I'm not sure how we got there, but before I knew it I was being shoved into a broom closet, The Marauders were cornering me, and one of them had locked the door.

"Snivellus" said Potter "If you ever speak to Lily again, I will personally curse you to within an inch of your life, and then leave Remus, Sirius and Frank to finish you off. Do you understand?" is voice was calm yet threatening.

I nodded hopelessly

"Good" said Potter. Black snarled at me, and then they left, locking the door behind them. I slid to the floor.

Lily had called me Snivellus.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Aww, poor Snape. I only feel a little bit sorry for him, though.**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed that chapter**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	19. Chapter 19: An Epiphany

**It's Michael Jackson's Birthday! Yay…**

**Anyway…**

**Thanks to Rose, Aarika, Kris and anghrad xoxo you're all awesome =)**

**Disclaimer: I seriously don't own Harry Potter**

**POVs: Lily, James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV**

James and I were sat in the corner of the common room, looking out of the window at the beautiful moonlit sky. Three days had passed since Christmas, and New Year's Eve was the next event on the agenda for us to celebrate. I shuddered to think of all the dressing up Alice and Andie would perform on me in just a few nights time.

The past few days, it had been like James and I were joined at the hip. We weren't officially going out, but we were as good as. I'd written home to Mum on Boxing day

_Dear Mum_

_Dad is always on my mind, and I'm very worried about how he will be at the end of all this. Pass on my love to him, and give him a hug too. I've learnt loads of new spells this term, and if he wants to hear about them to distract him, just send a note back with Angora._

_Christmas day at Hogwarts was amazing, even if it was tinted by the news about Dad. James – you remember James Potter, don't you? – has spent every minute distracting me, and I'm afraid he's the only one I've told. The others just know I'm upset about something but not what._

_One of my close friends, Remus Lupin, is having a terrible time. He's only eleven, but I swear I can see his hair going grey. He's constantly very pale and gets ill regularly. If that wasn't bad enough, his own mother has fallen desperately ill and has had to come home from her holiday in France. He's going to see her tomorrow. Shall I pass on the family's best wishes?_

_I hope that Petunia is well, and Vernon is suffering from the worst ailment since time began. If not, I shall learn how to create a terrible ailment by magic, and perform it on him as soon as possible. Oh, don't look all shocked like that Mother. You dislike him and his grotesque, ignorant manner as much as I do. If any man – boy – is ignorant, he is Vernon Dursley._

_I worry a lot about Petunia. She didn't take my…abilities…very well, as you know, and I worry that this will make a rift between us. Not that we were dearest chums anyway…but you know what I mean. Imagine if she got so upset that she stopped speaking to me! That _would _be awful…unless, of course, she married that Vernon idiot, in which case I truly wish that she might never contact me again, in case He butted in, which he inevitably would._

_Pass on my love to Petunia – and try not to let her see Angora. She is so disturbed by the sight of owls carrying letters. Particularly, it would seem, Little Owls._

_All my love_

_Lily xx_

Mum, being mum, had replied

_Dear Lily_

_Yes, I worry about your father a lot as well, but hopefully God will prevail and rightness will have the last word._

_Yes, of course I remember James Potter. You never stopped talking about him all summer, and he has been featured in quite a few of your letters so far. He sounds like a wonderful boy, with a fine sense of humour to balance out your ridiculous tendency to overwork yourself. Don't deny it, Lily Evans, because I _know _that you learnt all of your books off by heart three weeks before you went to Hogwarts, and turned all my matches into needles because that's what you do in the first few lessons of Transfiguration._

_Your Father would love to have a description of all your spells. But, send it directly to him. I think he would like having some mail – even if it is delivered by a little owl._

_I am very anxious about Petunia as well. I'm sorry to tell you this, but every time you, Hogwarts or anything magic-related is mentioned, Petunia either leaves the room, pulls a rude face or makes a hateful remark, all of which is encouraged by the whale (Vernon). More than this, she is becoming more and more – well – _obsessed _with the idiotic boy. In fact, she spends most of her time at the Dursley's house, only coming home to sleep. She's only eleven, for goodness sake, and she's completely obsessed. She says they're soul mates and she's going to get married to him when she's sixteen._

_Before the Hogwarts letter, I would have asked you to speak to her; you could have talked her out of it. As it is…I don't know what to do. If she married that imbecile, I think that half the population will be terrorized by any children they have, and I feel it is my responsibility, as Petunia's mother, to prevent half the population from committing suicide and/or homicide._

_Pass on our sympathy to Remus Lupin and his family, my dear. Love is something often ignored in modern times, and something God would will to spread from the mountains to the rivers, and, by extension, to the Lupin family._

_All my love_

_Mum xx_

I smiled when I read the bit about James. Little did I know at the time, but he was reading it over my shoulder.

"Who's Vernon?" he had asked. I had jumped a little, then replied

"Petunia's whale-sized boyfriend."

"Ah. He doesn't like you?"

"Not exactly"

And I'd left it at that.

Now, though, he was pushing it further

"What's Vernon done to you?" he questioned me, his brow furrowed

"Nothing"

"Yeah, right"

"Yes!"

"I don't believe you. You're a rubbish liar" I sighed. Typical of James Potter; always sees through lies

"He made some comments about the fact I had magical abilities"

"What kind of comments?" James growled. I sighed again.

"You know, saying I was a freak and stuff. Nothing bad. Just enough to make me want to give him Dragon Pox."

"He called you a freak?" I could see the anger on James' face

"After being encouraged by my sister. Now chill. Please. I can deal with Whale Boy"

"Hmm…" I rolled my eyes and started to move away from him

"Where you going?" he asked, alarmed

"Well, if you're going to be like that…" I teased. He pulled me back next to him

"Sorry" he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. Surely I was too young to have feelings like this?

"That's okay" I breathed, settling in his lap and staring out at the starlit sky.

"It's a shame Remus is missing this, isn't it" I thought aloud "The full moon always looks heavenly at Hogwarts, and he's been ill quite a few times and missed them, hasn't he?"

James stiffened up. It felt like he had stopped breathing.

"James?" I asked, clicking my fingers in front of his face "James?"

He fell back to planet earth, and stared at me as if he hadn't seen me for several weeks

"I have to go" he said abruptly. I moved from his lap, and he got up "I have to go…I'll see you later Lily…I have to go"

And he walked off, muttering to himself.

I turned round to go and sit with Andie, Alice and their boyfriends, and saw James grabbing Sirius and Frank, tearing them away from their girlfriends, and frog marching them up into the boys' dormitory.

I took one look at Andie and Alice, and we all nodded. We got up and followed them.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

Something Lily had said had made something click inside my head. I pulled Sirius and Frank into the dormitory, slammed the door shut, and paced the room.

After a few seconds, Sirius said sarcastically "Was there anything?"

I looked at him darkly, then pointed my wand at the door

"Muffliato" The other two raised their eyebrows at me "Spell my dad taught me. The girls, who are almost certainly listening, can't hear a word we say."

"Useful" said Frank bemusedly

"Are you going to tell us what the big mystery is? Or are you just going to pace and sound proof the room?" Sirius was obviously annoyed at being torn away from Andie.

"Yes, I am going to tell you" I glared at him "Look, Lily just said something to me that made something click inside my head. Remus is away" They both nodded "Remus has been away once a month for the past four months, and each time, it's been the full moon."

Frank's jaw dropped open and he gasped

Sirius, however, said

"So?"

"Well, you imbecile, either he's had a particularly bad period each month at the full moon and has had to take days off for it, or he's a werewolf, dumbass."

Comprehension dawned on Sirius' face.

We looked at each other in wonder

Then all at the same time, we breathed, flooded in sheer awe, and then said

"_Cool"_

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**THE EPIPHANY! AT LAST!!! Took them long enough!**

**Til next time**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	20. Chapter 20: Easter Pranking

**Yet another time skip. In between the last chapter and now, Sirius, Frank and James have known about Remus' "Furry Little Problem" but are trying to hide it from Remus that they know. Remus us blissfully ignorant…for now…**

**Anywho, it's Pranking time guys! The easter holidays are here, and it's going to be Pranks galore! As it gets further on, it will get a little shorter, as I have 14 pranks to fit in one chapter. The pranks are also probably crap, because I got most of them off the internet and adjusted them, or I thought them up myself, but I am NOT a prankster, so they will all be crap.**

**Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Harry. Potter. Got It?**

**POVs: James, Sirius, Remus, Frank, 3****rd**** Person, James, 3****rd**** Person, Sirius, Remus, Frank, James, Sirius, Remus, Frank**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

It was the Easter Holidays. Fourteen days of fully adulterated work. So, being the kind Marauders that we are, we decided to brighten things up a bit. A prank for each day of the Easter holidays. Fun, eh? Well, we thought so.

Day 1 was my turn. Seeing as there were four of us and fourteen days, we had decided we would get three pranks each, plus Grand Pranks on Easter Day and Good Friday, Easter Day being the largest Grand Prank.

I had a very simple plan for Day 1. Simple, but brilliant. Enough to cause confusion everywhere. I got up in the dead of night when not even the teachers were patrolling to do it. I'd slipped on my invisibility cloak, just in case, and crept downstairs onto the main corridor, clutching my wand in my hand.

"Accio Doors" I whispered, and all the doors came flying towards me. I dodged them, then spent three hours putting them back in…various…places.

I crept back to bed, and excitedly waited until morning, and the chaos it would bring.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**The first morning of the Easter Holidays – Monday 26****th**** March 1972**

I woke up, brimming with excitement. I had been careful the night before, making sure that all the doors to the dormitories were kept the same so no one would suspect anything. For a while.

Remus was dragging Sirius out of bed, and I shoved me glasses on and jumped up, dressing with super speed. As our tradition was, I hadn't told the others what my prank was. They all eyed me, half expectantly and half suspiciously, as I innocently pulled my robes over my head as fast as I could.

We made our way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, and by the time we got there, The Marauders had sussed out what I'd done

"Nice one James" laughed Remus

"Pretty good" Frank nodded at me

"_Very _good. For a warm up." Sirius clapped me on the back and winked at me deviously. Half of my mind drifted off, wondering what he would do, but the other half was stuck on the reactions of the people around me.

We got down to the Great Hall, and the others burst out laughing. In the place of the usually elephantine double doors was the door to a cubby hole I had found on the first floor. Who knew Minnie had one just outside her office? The door was about 2 foot tall and 2 foot wide, and the only way you could get through it was by sliding through on your stomach. To my surprise, when I slid through, the only people in the room were Dumbledore, Hagrid, Lily, Alice and Andie.

"Err, Hagrid – how'd you get through?"

He chuckled, and said "I been a' this school since 1940. I can ge' in when I want a'"

I frowned at the giant and walked to the Gryffindor table, sitting down in between Lily and Sirius. A few more students filtered into the hall, sliding through on their stomachs, surprised looks on their faces when they saw Hagrid.

"Mr Potter" Dumbledore called as he got up to leave "A word, if you please"

I gulped. I might be a Marauder, but it wouldn't do to upset The Most Powerful Wizard Alive. It really would not do at all. Nevertheless, I casually strode up to the end of the Hall, where Dumbledore had disappeared to. I pulled open the door from the Charms classroom and entered a small portrait gallery.

Like there weren't enough pictures at Hogwarts.

"Sir?" I tried not to sound too cocky or too nervous. I had a reputation to uphold, after all.

"Ah, yes, Mr Potter. A very amusing trick with the doors. Where, may I ask, are the doors to the great hall?"

I grinned

"On one of Hagrid's flobberworm hutches, sir"

He chuckled, and I began to relax

"Very good, Mr Potter, very good. Now, onto more serious matters. I'm afraid I will have to punish you. Or, rather, Professor McGonagall will. She, after all, is your Head of House, and has the alarming ability to know the exact culprit of any wrongdoing. She will most probably give you a detention."

"Fair enough sir"

"Now, could you tell me one thing?"

"Of course, sir"

"How long will this last?"

"Until I swap them back, sir"

"And when will that be?"

"Tonight. Just after midnight."

"Good, good. I'll make sure none of my colleagues punish you if they catch you."

"Oh, they won't catch me sir," I smiled, thinking of the cloak. When he raised his eyebrows, I continued "I'm a Marauder, sir. We have our ways."

I grinned and winked at him, then left him standing in the gallery, chuckling to himself.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV – Very early in the morning of Tuesday 27****th**

Yeah, James' prank was okay, but it didn't _outrage _anyone.

Mine, on the other hand…

I crept down stair after stair after stair, not a single teacher seeing me, which was lucky, especially since James had to have the cloak tonight for swapping the doors back.

It took a while for me to find it – I didn't _like _going down there. Who does, except them?

And I am most definitely not one of them.

I crept to the door and muttered the password I had forced out of one of them – he'd been easy to trick.

"Pure-blood" I spat in disgust, then snuck in, as silent and sneaky as a dog. I don't know why that came to mind, it was just how I felt as I did it.

I snuck out, closing the door behind me.

When I arrived back at the Gryffindor Common Room, The Fat Lady was waiting

"Fizzing Whizbees" I said, and she swung the door open.

I looked at the clock, and grinned to myself. It had only taken an hour – not bad, Sirius Orion Black.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**At Breakfast**

I had made The Marauders get up early, so we were the first in the Great Hall, apart from Dumbledore and Hagrid, who were always the first there, for some reason.

None of _them _yet.

I slowly munched on some bacon. I could feel Dumbledore's eyes on me, and I had a feeling that I had been wrong when I thought I hadn't been noticed by anyone last night. I strongly suspected that the Headmaster knew exactly what I had done.

Well, he hadn't stopped me…

And then a gang of Fourth Year Slytherins came in, and Remus, James, Frank and myself started howling with laughter.

They were splattered all over in fluorescent pink paint.

How, you might ask? Well, I had painted the Slytherin Common Room last night, and put a little spell on it that will make it stay wet for a full day.

Oops…

More Gryffindors were coming in now, as well as Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. They all started laughing at the glowering Slytherins, too.

Oh, funny days.

"Mr Black" a too-familiar voice called my name, and I turned to see Minnie wearing a slight smile, with an outraged Slughorn at her shoulder.

Sigh…detention number 61 was on its way, I sensed.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Remus' POV – Just before midnight**

Yes, James and Sirius' Pranks had been okay…

But mine would be slightly less…simplistic.

I'd spent weeks trying to find out how to do it. It took a series of four spells, one after another, and I'd had to get to the highest point in the building – the astronomy tower. Not that that had been much of a trek – the Gryffindor Common Room is, after all, on the top floor.

I muttered the spells, and hoped to Godric it would work.

I needn't have worried.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Wednesday 28****th**

I rolled out of bed, groaning. Usually, Frank and I were the punctual ones, but this morning I had been too tired to move. Even James was up before me. Not Sirius though – I doubted that he would ever rise earlier than me.

In fact, the day Sirius got up before me was the day James would shake hands with Snivellus.

Ie never.

Sunlight was streaming through the windows, but that was only because Frank had just opened the heavy red curtains, something he usually doesn't do.

"Remus" he said "There's some sort of problem with my wand"

"Mmm?" I grunted

"I tried to light some candles, but nothing happened. The fire came out, but the candle didn't light"

"Weird" I muttered as I tossed on some random clothes, then pulled my robes over my head.

"Come along, sleepyheads" said James, chirpy as ever "Breakfast time"

"Erm…James" I pointed to Sirius. James chuckled.

"Oh, he'll be up in a minute. OI, SIRIUS"

Sirius made no response

"FREE FOOD MATE" bellowed James, and Sirius sat straight up in bed and barked out

"Where?" then shoved his robes on over his pyjamas.

Only Sirius would do that.

"Come on then" James said, and we were just about to leave, when Frank gasped

"Woah. Who learned to do wandless magic?" he said, looking at the three of us in awe.

"Not me"

"Me neither"

"It was me" Sirius said, grinning

"Really?" breathed Frank, amazed

"No, you dolt. Why are you even asking"

"Because the candle just lit by itself."

We stared at the candle, and, sure enough, it was flickering in the corner.

"Weird" I muttered again

"Yeah" agreed James "But this is _Hogwarts. _Surely you're used to weird stuff by now. Come on, breakfast" and he ushered us out of the room.

We arrived in the Great Hall, where the candle chandelier was, unusually, not lit.

"It's sunny weather" Sirius brushed it aside "Why would they bother?"

Fair point.

We sat down at the table and, a few minutes later, the girls walked in.

"Ugh" said Lily as she sat down and filched some of James' toast

"Ngh" agreed Alice, collapsing at the table and filching some of Frank's toast

"Mff" Andie put in, perching herself next to Sirius and filching some of his toast

"Anything wrong, ladies?" I asked slyly. No one seemed to notice

"Andie" said Lily and Alice at the same time

"IT WASN'T ME!" Screeched Andie, and we all stared at her

"Who else was it then? Like the boys would surrender their precious sleep" sneered Alice

"Like I would"

"Fair point" said Lily

"What happened?" I asked innocently. Too innocently. Still, no one noticed

"_Someone _came into our room at the crack of dawn" began Alice, fuming

"Also known as 7 o'clock" added Andie

"And kept lighting the candles in the corner. At the crack of dawn!" finished Lily

"That's weird" said Frank " I was trying to light a candle at around that time, and it wouldn't come on."

"And _then" _continued Alice, brushing aside Frank's comment "we tried to light it about ten minutes ago, and the damn thing wouldn't come on"

"Alice, don't swear" said Lily

"That's even weirder, because about ten minutes ago, the candles in our room came on for no reason…" Frank spotted my grin, and his eyes narrowed "Remus…"

"What?"

"What was your prank for today?" asked James, a dangerous tone in his voice

"Well…I…err…" I stammered

"It was him" laughed Sirius, grinning from ear to ear "How'd you do it?"

I shrugged "A few spells. Had to go up to the bloody Astronomy Tower at midnight, though"

The girls glared at me murderously

"Do you mean" snarled Alice

"That it's because of _you" _growled Andie

"That we were woken up at the crack of dawn?" Lily finished, looking positively murderous.

I stepped up and backed away from the Gryffindor table. The girls stood up in exact synchronisation, the same furious look mirrored on each face, and I gulped. _I'm a Gryffindor _I told myself _I'm a Gryffindor. I'm brave, I'm brave, I'm brave. _Lily took one step towards me, and I was out of the Great Hall in three seconds flat. I ran straight into non other than Professor McGonagall.

Great.

"Mr Lupin, you wouldn't happen to know why I tried forty seven times to light the candle in my office this morning, and nothing happened, would you?"

I gulped

"No, professor" I squeaked

"Stranger still, the candle in Professor Flitwick's office proceeded to light itself forty seven times without precedent. Do you know why?"

She stared down at me with stern eyes.

"Maybe"

"So I thought. My office. Now."

Ah well. It had been a good Prank while it had lasted.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Frank's POV – Thursday 29****th**

I had been cleverer than all the others in thinking up my prank. They all had to get up in the middle of the night.

I, on the other hand, got up fifteen minutes before usual, and made my way down to the Slytherin Common Room entrance, wearing James' invisibility cloak.

Then, all I had to do was wait.

The first few came out.

I zapped them all with my wand.

The effect was exactly as I had desired. I looked at the students and ticked them off on my list.

The first few were done.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Later**

Every Slytherin was done – even Slughorn.

I practically skipped into the dinner hall at the end of breakfast and sat down next to Alice. She giggled and kissed me on the cheek

"Nice job with the Slytherins" she whispered in my ear, and I laughed, and turned to look at their table.

67 Slytherins sat huddled in a big group at the table, scowling at me and the rest of The Marauders. Their robes, instead of being the customary black, were now gold and red striped.

The colour of Gryffindors.

James, being James, stood up on the table and yelled

"Oi! Snakes! We know you love us, you didn't have to be as romantic as all that!"

Sirius jumped up to join him

"But, I'm afraid my _darling _Snakes, we prefer Lions. Sorry"

The whole of Gryffindor burst out laughing.

"Mr Longbottom" a voice said from behind me.

Minnie.

"Yes, professor" I stammered

"First it was Potter, then Black, then Lupin, so now I suppose it must be you?"

I nodded.

"Very well. You know where to go"

I trudged up the giant flight of stairs to her office.

I noticed she did nothing to correct the Slytherins' robes.

Good old Minnie.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**3****rd**** Person – Good Friday**

The Good Friday feast was not as big as the Easter one, but The Marauders had felt it was big enough to cause chaos.

They had spent quite a time practicing how to do it, because the magic involved was way beyond the reach of average 1st years. But, then again, when have the Marauders ever been average 1st Years?

They were sat near the back of the Gryffindor table, in a convenient place that all the teachers watched but none could see them do any wrong. Then only reason the teachers knew it was The Marauders was either because of Dumbledore or McGonagall, or because the four boys wrote their name in fire across the Great Hall – something they enjoyed doing.

Everyone was seated, and Professor Dumbledore began his speech. If you were watching from above, all you would have seen was a sea of black hats, with a few differing colours at the staff table.

Not for long.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Good Friday feast." Started Dumbledore, but he was stopped dead in his tracks when every hat in the hall, including his own, began to twitch.

They twitched and twitched, toppling off people's heads and jittering on the floor.

And then it happened.

Every single hat in the hall turned into an animal.

All the Ravenclaws' hats turned into eagles.

All the Slytherins' hats turned into snakes.

All the Hufflepuffs' hats turned into badgers.

And all the Gryffindors' hats turned into lions.

The Great Hall was soon turned into a zoo, with dozens of each animal roaming about. Even the teachers' hats had turned into the animal of their former house. An army of badgers stampeded out of the Hall, followed by the bounding lions, the slithering snakes and the swooping eagles.

"Wonderful, wonderful." Boomed Dumbledore "Ah, yes, Marauders. How will one know whom is one's…pet?"

James stood up and said

"Each one had a collar and a little tag, sir."

"Very good, very good. Now, time to eat"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV – Saturday 1****st ****April**

This time, my prank was less…disruptive. Just mildly amusing. Something odd and a bit "out there". Ah well, it was fun.

It had been a very simple operation. I'd slipped down to the kitchens, and done it very quickly, and then taken them for a little…trip.

A tour of the school, almost.

Oh, how they enjoyed it. They only saw the kitchens, you see, and they didn't know half as much as I did about Hogwarts. Very educational, if you ask me.

I lead them all around the castle, then brought them back to the kitchens.

"Thank you, Mr Potter" they all chorused in their funny little lisp, and then they got on with making the dinner.

"Mr Potter" I turned round to see Minnie stood, tapping her foot

"Yes, professor"

"Why, may I ask, have you decorated the entire house elf staff like the muggle cartoon characters "the smurfs" then taken them for a tour of the castle?"

"Well you see-"

"Detention Mr Potter. You know where and when"

I nodded glumly. It hadn't even been that good.

Funny though.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**3****rd**** Person – Easter Sunday**

The school met in the Great hall for the Easter Dinner. Everyone was excited: what would The Marauders pull off this time?

They sat in their usual place, glancing at each other every now and again, then looking away with a smile on their faces. Tell tale signs they were planning something. They knew that everyone in the school knew they were up to something; but that was what they wanted. They wanted everybody to know.

Dumbledore had only prepared four lines in his speech, positive that The Marauders would interrupt him before then with one of their amusing escapades. He had especially liked the Good Friday one; the animal representation had been a clever idea.

He stood up and began the speech

"Happy Easter! This year has been a challenging one so far"

Sirius gave the wink – he didn't want to hear any boring stuff, and all four pointed their wands at their targets. Sirius had two, but how he was going to do the Gryffindor flag _and _the Staff table's flag, he didn't know. He'd have to do hem one after the other.

They all muttered the various incantations. Only the people next to them heard anything, and even then they didn't hear the exact words.

Then, four – no, five, after Sirius quickly turned to the staff flag – flags began to descend gracefully onto their tables, shaping themselves as they went. By the time they hit their relevant tables, they were shaped as giant bunny rabbits.

Which is an odd enough sight as it is.

But, The Marauders made it even odder. The bunny rabbits, much to everyone's surprise, began to lay eggs.

Chocolate eggs.

Big chocolate eggs.

Dumbledore picked up an egg to examine, and laughed out loud.

On the egg, in swirling gold and red writing was written

_With love, The Marauders_

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV – Monday 3****rd**

I don't know how – or why – I thought of this.

We were getting a bit desperate now, having had to create three Pranks each, plus the Grand Pranks. But this – this was just plain weird. Merlin knows how I got the idea. Maybe I should get out more.

Despite these thoughts, I found myself sneaking over to the Slytherin Common room, and whispering "Accio First Year Slytherins"

I put all the enchantments on them, and then hurried to get the house elves, putting the necessary enchantments on them, too.

And then the whole lot of them were off, kazoos and all. I grinned with pride.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Ten minutes later**

I was walking up the second floor corridor, trying to be inconspicuous. Unfortunately for me, Minnie was about.

"Mr Black" I groaned inwardly

"Yes, professor"

"Come with me"

I followed her up the stairs, to where there was a procession of 1st Year Slytherins, all singing "We're off to see the wizard" from the muggle musical "The wizard of Oz" accompanied by the entire house elf body. On kazoos.

Minnie sent me one livid look and I nodded.

"I know where to go"

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Remus' POV – Tuesday 4****th**

I sped my way up to Dumbledore's office. I didn't know why I was doing this. It was stupid, and I knew I was going to get caught, and it probably wasn't even going to be that funny.

I tried and tried to persuade myself out of it, but I knew I had to do it – or something – or James, Sirius and Frank would kill me. Which I really didn't want, seeing as they were the first and possibly last friends I would ever have.

Dumbledore strode out of his office, and I closed my eyes, muttered the spell, and pointed to him.

I didn't know if it had worked. I didn't really know if I _wanted_ it to. But then an earth shattering roar reached my ears, and I opened one eye.

Before me stood a huge lion, with a Gryffindor scarf round its neck, with familiar blue eyes twinkling away at me.

"Thank you Mr Lupin" it said, in the exact voice of Dumbledore

"You're _thanking _me?" I stuttered, disbelieving

"Certainly Mr Lupin. I have been needing something to…ah…_assert my authority" _the lion gave a huge grin, and lumbered off.

It didn't take two guesses where to.

Well, maybe I'd leave the rest of The Marauders to have a nice surprise…

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Frank's POV – Wednesday 5****th**

This was getting ridiculous. Our Pranks were getting, frankly, shocking. Even I would admit that this one was boring and not funny, but I had to do _something._

I sat in the library with white, green and red card, making the sign. Then I got a black marker pen and wrote across the card.

I picked it up and looked at it proudly. Not bad for someone who got the worst score in art for seven years running.

I hid it underneath the cloak, and made my way to the third floor, to Dumbledore's office – we had been targeting him a little over the past few days, but we knew he didn't really mind. Minnie did though.

I stuck the sign up, and ran off. Some students gathered round it and started saying to each other

"What? It's _April! _Why is this here?"

Hmm. I knew I should have done it at Christmas.

An arm caught me round the shoulders as I was running away from the crime scene. Ah. Minnie.

"Mr Longbottom. You know what to do. It would have been more effective in December, you know"

"Yes, professor"

She was right. Sticking a sign up outside Dumbledore's office saying _Santa's Grotto – All Welcome _would definitely have been more effective in December.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV – Thursday 6****th****, early morning**

It was a good thing I knew the Prefect's bathroom password, or I'd have never pulled this one off. I didn't really feel bad about stealing from there; after all, they had more than enough bubblebath, and it wasn't like it was leaving Hogwarts.

This was some sort of joke they did at Muggle schools, and I had to say it was a rather good one. Muggles really were _brilliant _sometimes, and this was an example of one of those times.

I distributed the bottle carefully – I wanted every single one to be perfect – then ran away back up to the Gryffindor Dormitories. This was better than my last one, which was quite pathetic really, but, mind you, all of our last ones had been. Especially Frank's. He should have done it in December.

I woke up in the morning, excited to see what would happen. I threw my clothes on, then motioned for the others to follow me. We ended up in a bathroom on the sixth floor.

"Just a min, show us after I've been to the loo" said Frank, he went into a cubicle and locked the door. I nudged Sirius and Remus, then grinned at them both. We all watched in trepidation.

Frank flushed the toilet, and then let out a yell. He hurried out of the cubicle, leaving the door open, and we could all see the toilet water frothing up like bubblebath, and spilling over the edges. Today was going to be a _fun _day.

We walked out of the bathroom, to find – as usual – Minnie.

"Mr Potter. I just received a complaint from Miss Edgerow, the fifth year Hufflepuff prefect, that her toilet overflowed with pink bubblebath. Care to explain?"

"Not really. What time?"

"Eight o'clock"

"Yes, professor"

Third detention of the holidays.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV – Friday 7****th**

Minnie knew I was up to something today. Of course she did, I was next in the order. Which was precisely why she was out looking for me on the corridors, rather than being in her office.

I slipped into her office, and conjured them all up. Funny little spell, that one. I spent a while getting them exactly right, the left.

I hid outside her office with the cloak on. I had to wait for a while; she had been out looking for me everywhere in the castle, until it finally struck her where I might just be.

She walked briskly down the first floor corridor, looking around for me, but, of course, I was nowhere to be seen.

She opened her office, and gasped. Then her face turned slightly angry, and extremely stern.

"Accio Sirius Orion Black!" she screeched. I flew towards her, stuffing the cloak in my pocket as I went.

"What is the meaning of this?" She was really, really angry.

"Well miss" I said, glancing into the office. It was filled with red and gold balloons, each shaping _We Love You Minnie. _"I would have thought it was obvious."

"Who, may I ask is _Minnie?" _Her voice was low and dangerous, but to be honest, I didn't really care

"You miss. And, evidently, we love you. Bye" and I sprinted out of the room, throwing the cloak over me, and up the stairs.

I forgot about the Accio charm. 3rd detention of the holidays…

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Remus' POV – Saturday 8****th**

The last Prank of the holidays. Half of me was sad, the other half thankful. Conveniently for me, the day was hot today, so I knew my prank would work and annoy everyone.

I got up at midnight, and started casting spell after spell after spell. By the time I finished, it was 3 o'clock in the morning, and I collapsed in bed and went straight to sleep.

Frank got me up, then I got James up, then all three of us got Sirius up. I swear, there was something _wrong _with that boy. Seriously wrong. Nothing can wake him up.

Except food, and aguamenti.

When we all, eventually, got up, we made our way down into the common room, and were about to go to breakfast, when something landed on me and I was tackled to the floor. I yelled, as Alice and Lily pinned me to the floor, but to no avail.

"YOU!" They both screeched

"What? What?!" I yelled back

"OUR ROOM'S BOILING AND THE WINDOW WON'T OPEN!!! IT. WAS. YOU." It was scary how they could yell at the same time

"Well…I…err…"

I was saved by Minnie. She strode in at that point.

"Miss Evans, Miss Prewett, enough. I will deal with Mr Lupin." Lily and Alice released me, grinning identical wicked smiles. God, they were freaky with the whole identical thing.

I was dragged out of the room by McGonagall, who said, in a bored voice

"How many windows?"

"Every single one except the Gryffindor Boys Dormitory"

"Is it a permanent sticking charm?"

"No, miss, it should wear off in 24 hours"

"Very well. Sticking all the windows shut on a day like this – I ask you!"

"Yes, miss"

"Eight o'clock"

"I won't be late"

3rd detention of the holidays

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Frank's POV**

Hogwarts was staring to breathe a sigh of relief; today was the final Prank, and it was mine.

It was a weird one. Definitely. Where it came to me from is beyond me.

But, it came to me, so I guess I should just get on with it.

I waved my wand and muttered the incantations 35 times. Took ages.

Then, I let them loose. They screeched as they sped around the corridors, terrorizing anyone who got in their way. They were perfect imitations really.

I chuckled and turned round.

Three guesses who was there?

Minnie. She glared at me.

"Mr Longbottom. There are currently 35 miniature versions of myself roaming around Hogwarts, screeching and caterwauling as they go. I assume it was you?"

"Yes, professor" We both sounded bored.

"Eight o'clock"

"Yes, professor" I sighed.

3rd, and hopefully last detention of the holidays.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**That was a FILLER CHAPTER.**

**THAT IS WHY IT WAS RUBBISH!**

**Okay?**

**Most of the pranks are crap, right? Whatever =)**

**I'm not updating til I get 40 reviews xx**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


	21. Chapter 21: The Giant Squid

**Okay, I apologise profusely for the abominable pranks in the last chapter. But, in my defence, I had 14 pranks to think up, and I'm not that naughty (tee hee) at school, so I was pretty desperate.**

**But, on with the show! Or story…**

**This one's going to be quite dramatic…**

**Disclaimer: We've been through this. JK ROWLING OWNS HARRY POTTER, NOT ME!!!**

**POVs: Lily, Sirius**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV**

I stretched out in the shade of the big oak tree by the Black Lake. The past few months had been crazy busy, with end of year exams and all, but now the exams were over, and I could relax – at last.

I was sat with Frank, Alice and Andie underneath the tree. Frank was on my left, with his arm around Alice, and Andie on my right, chattering away like her usual self. Sirius and James had taken off their robes and rolled their trousers up to their knees, and were having a water fight in the lake. Every now and again, one of them would splash particularly vigorously, spraying the four of us under the tree, and we would protest angrily.

Andie stopped for breath, having been updating me on all the gossip around Hogwarts, and Frank cut in.

"Lily, you know Professor Sprout" he said shyly "Well, she's given me some _gillyweed _to take home and analyse!" Frank loved herbology, and the smile on his face showed exactly how deep his interest was.

"That's fantastic, Frank!" I replied enthusiastically

"What's gillyweed?" Andie, not liking being out of the conversation, asked irritably

"It's a type of plant that gives you gills. Hence GILLYweed. You can breathe under water if you eat some" I explained patronisingly. Andie hit me playfully on the shoulder, and I laughed, feeling like I didn't have a care in the world.

The afternoon carried on much in this fashion; by three o'clock, Andie had told me every minute piece of gossip, from the prefects snogging in empty classrooms to Mrs Norris' new collar, and was now speculating the relationship between Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"She's deputy, he's head. They _must _have a load of private meetings together…with no one else there…" she prattled, me hearing but not really taking it in.

Then James disappeared, and everything went into slow motion.

He was pulled down into the water, only with time to let out one shocked, solitary yell, by what looked like a long, green tentacle.

Alice and Andie screamed, Sirius dived to help him, and Frank and Remus yelled his name at the top of their voices.

But none of them were as terrible as the other noise, one I didn't recognise. I didn't know who on _earth _it could be. One desperate scream, that rattled the world on its hinges.

I looked around for the culprit, and then, just as Sirius surfaced, realised it had been me.

Sirius came up soaking wet and bedraggled, a look of pure misery and anxiety on his usually unserious face. **(A/N Pun fully intended)**

He shook his head, gasping for air, and I knew he'd run out of breath.

Which meant James was running out of breath.

The next thing I did, I acted on complete impulse. I grabbed Frank's bag without even thinking, and searched faster than I've ever done anything before. I found what I was looking for, ripped it in two, and shoved one half of the gillyweed in my mouth. Then, I ran to the edge of the Black Lake, and dived in.

_Just like in swim class _I thought _Just like in swim class_

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Sirius' POV**

Desolation ran through me. James…not James…and now Lily, too?

If he survived, and knew I let Lily go down there, he'd kill me. Throttle me. Garrotte me. Impale me, burn me, mangle me. And then drown me.

I paced back and forth, my mind rife with worry. I barely noticed the water splashing at my feet. James. James, James, James. Not just a cousin, not just a friends.

A brother.

I couldn't lose him. I loved him as much as Lily did – though in a different way. I could see it in her eyes, every time she looked at him. In a way, I loved her too. The girl who made James happier than anything else. If I lost either of them, I'd lose my mind.

Lily, James, Lily, James.

James, Lily, James, Lily.

By now, the others had joined me at the edge of the Black Lake, staring down into the watery depths.

I knew for sure we were all thinking the same thing:

_What's happening down there?_

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Yes, it's short. But I didn't get my 40 reviews. ='(**

**Til next time**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	22. Chapter 22: Life Saver

**Okay, I left it on a cliffie last time, and I haven't updated. That was naughtie, but you guys forgive me, right? =)**

**So this is like the second half of last time…have fun**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Or the Giant Squid.**

**POVs: Lily, James**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Lily's POV**

I swam down into the depths of the Black Lake. Part of me was terrified, the other half determined.

_Focus Lily _I told myself _It's only a bloody squid. You've _eaten _squid._

I pushed myself down, down, down, streaking through weeds and schools of fish as I went past.

_James, where's James?_

The gillyweed was working…thank Merlin…so I should be able to find James.

I hoped.

My arms were aching, my legs were tired, but I forced myself to keep going.

_If I were a huge, ugly, evil, kidnapping squid _I thought _where would I go?_

I grimaced, water trickling into my mouth. If I were a huge, ugly, evil, kidnapping squid, I knew exactly where I would go.

To the bottom. The darkest bit I could possibly find.

Down…down…down…down…down.

Then I found it. The Giant Squid's hideout.

It was hidden under rocks and shells, an underwater cove encrusted with pebbles and shiny gems.

And there it was. Slimy and green as ever.

James was clutched in its tentacles. A surge of anger mixed with concern went through me; James was unconscious.

If he didn't get out or get gillyweed soon, I knew he would die.

My mind couldn't comprehend that. Not James…not James, so full of life and laughter…not James, the patron saint of mischief…not James…

Not. James.

I wouldn't let that man eating man bitch steal James. I may only have been twelve, but I got angry very, very easy, and I knew a lot of spells.

"_Stupefy!" _I garbled. It didn't really work, but it stunned the Squid for a few seconds, enough time for me to stuff the other half of the gillyweed down James' throat.

Nothing happened. I was crushed with desperation.

And then a sticky, slimy, disgusting tentacle hit me from behind.

I was thrown against the cave wall, cracking my head on the sharp rock. No time for worrying about the pain, though. I had to get me – and James – out of here.

I dived. I was thrown back. I jumped. I was thrown back. I leaped. I was thrown back.

And James was still unconscious.

It's physically impossible to cry underwater, but if I could have been, I would have been.

I threw a stunning spell at it. Again, it was stunned for only a few seconds, enough time for me to grab James and move slightly towards the exit of the cave. We were thrown back by another tentacle.

Desperate, I racked my brain. Every spell I knew came out.

"_Expelliarmus!"_

"_Lumos!"_

"_Wingardium Leviosa!"_

"_Aguamenti!"_

"_Alohamora!"_

"_Aparecium!"_

"_Bombarda Maxima!"_

Nothing worked…well, I didn't really expect some of them to work, but it still made the feeling of desperation even worse.

There was only one spell left I could think of. Merlin only knows why I did it.

But, for one reason or another, I did.

"_Blocco __Spauracchio!" _I screamed, and another voice joined mine, two bolts of green shooting from our wands.

I looked to my side, and my heart leaped.

James was conscious.

He was concentrating on the Squid, who now had bats pouring out of his nose. A double shot of the Bat Bogey Hex…not something one wants on a Tuesday.

James, busy admiring his handiwork – typical – had to be prodded to remind him we were both still in danger.

We swam up, hand in hand, to the light dazzling us from above.

And the water no longer tasted of salt and dirt; it tasted of victory.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

I was exhausted from the battle that had just taken place, but I used all my strength to pull myself upwards…how Lily managed, I didn't know.

It seemed so far away, the surface. I was pushing myself as hard as I could, but I just couldn't get there…the stunning light was just a little too far away.

"_Aparecium" _I heard Lily mutter, and she shot into the air. Oh yeah, forgot about that one. I copied her, and both landed on the warm grass beside the lake where our adventure had begun. She ended up crouched over me, just like she had been on that first day at Hogwarts, when she saved me before.

I brushed my hair out of my face

"James" she said, as our friends stared on, open mouthed

"Yes" I murmured back

"That's the second time I've saved you from that bloody lake."

Fair point.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**Did you like it? I hope you did!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	23. Chapter 23: The Grand Prank

**Hi guys!**

**Well, I haven't updated for a while…sorry…but I've been in and out of Spain over the past month, on an exchange in Madrid and a sports tour in Barcelona.**

**Nearly broke 5 bones in one go at Barcelona! Yays!**

**Fun times.**

**Anyway, this chapter is the big one. The one we've all been waiting for.**

**The Grand Prank!!!!!!**

**YAYS!!!**

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**James' POV**

Usually at dinner, the four of us sat near the back of the Gryffindor table, where the teachers couldn't really see us. However, today was different. Sirius and I were sat opposite each other, right at the back, and Remus and Frank were right at the front, opposite each other.

It was the end of year feast, and, of course, that meant we had to provide an end of year prank. We'd spent quite a while cooking it up, sat in the Gryffindor dormitory, hiding away from the rest of the school.

Well, we like giving surprises.

Dumbledore was giving his speech, commending the students for their hard work and intelligence. This gave us some free time, so I went back to doing what I usually did when I had free time.

I searched through the crowd for the familiar head of auburn hair, and settled my eyes of Lily.

I was so focused on Lily that Sirius had to kick me under the table when it was getting close. I shook my head and turned back to Dumbledore.

"So, in conclusion, another year has passed" the wizened old wizard sighed "And for some of you, it's the final one at Hogwarts. But for the rest of you, make sure your heads are thoroughly emptied by the end of the year, so as to give our wonderful teachers the pleasure of filling them up again" He smiled the clever smile he always wore, and went back to his seat.

The hall burst in applause. Now was the time to act. I turned my wand over to the Slytherin table, whilst Sirius turned his to Hufflepuff. Remus twisted his over to Ravenclaw, and Frank shot his at the middle of our own table.

Fireworks erupted from each table, swirling over the heads of the gasping students.

The first three were green, from Slytherin. They just spelled out "The", and whilst the students finished reading that, the Hufflepuff table provided three blue fireworks, that said "Mar"

Then, the Ravenclaw table shot up three yellow fireworks, saying "aud", and finally, with a huge bang and a lot of gold smoke, three red letters emerged from the Gryffindor table, saying "ers"

The letters arranged themselves, and the students read it out aloud

"The Marauders" was heard over and over again, and we grinned. Then, I pointed my wand into the air, and red and gold fireworks exploded into the air.

"The Marauders" Dumbledore boomed, reading the words out "Happy to serve"

He chuckled. McGonagall chuckled.

And then the whole hall exploded with mirth, everyone except a few Slytherins (Snape) banging their fists on the table and laughing hysterically.

Then more fireworks appeared in the air, swooping and jumping and twirling.

Then, the best bit, they descended onto the crowd, attacking certain members of the students (Snape and Tonks particularly) that the Marauders didn't like.

The hall was in chaos. People were running around everywhere, laughing until their sides hurt and jumping on tables to get away from the enchanted fireworks.

"A job well done" a voice murmured in my ear, and I turned round to see Dumbledore stood behind me.

He winked, and I looked at Sirius.

We ran.

**HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP**

**That was quite short, but did you like it?**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	24. Chapter 24: Edward Tonks' Revenge

**OMG! This is the 2****nd**** to last chapter of 1****st**** Year!**

**The 2****nd**** year will be a separate story, but I'll post a final chapter after the real final chapter with a link for the first chapter of the 2****nd**** year. If that makes any sense whatsoever!**

**This one's going to be quite long and dramatic. And sad. Don't forget sad.**

**Funsies!!!**

**Disclaimer: I OWN HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!! Oh wait…I lied.**

**POVs: Just James!!!**

****

**James' POV**

The four of us were sat in our dormitory, reading Quidditch magazines, or, in Remus' case, school books.

"Harpies aren't looking great this season" commented Sirius

"They're doing fine" I replied

"Not really" said Sirius, a glint in his eye. I knew that look, and I knew he was doing whatever he was doing for a reason.

"What do you mean?" I played along

"Well, have you seen their chasers at the moment? They're passing the ball like a hot potato! And don't even get me started on the keeper…" He gave a slight inclination of the head, and I knew what to do.

I dived on him.

We started fake fighting on the floor, while Remus tried to ignore us and Frank looked on bemused, making as much noise as possible.

Remus eventually snapped his book shut, and said

"I'm going to the library"

Only Frank acknowledged his exit with a small wave. As soon as we knew he was out of earshot, I got off Sirius and sat in front of him.

"So, what was that all about?" I asked him

"Well, we wanted to get rid of him so we can talk about his…furry little problem" Sirius whispered back

"Why are we whispering?" Frank joined the conversation

"Because I don't want anyone to hear. Come on, this place is too risky. There's about a hundred empty classrooms in this school; we'll talk in one of those"

"Right. Do we need the cloak?"

"Yes. People get suspicious of us three, and I don't want anyone following us"

It was off to see Sirius so serious, but this was his friend. Sirius was serious when it came to his friends.

We travelled down the many staircases, through the passages in the school we had come to know so well after the past year. Eventually we came to a classroom that we had used before to plot pranks; we were certain only the Marauders and the girls knew about it, and none of the girls would be secretly plotting in there.

"This should do it" I said, as I opened the door and took the cloak off us all in one "No one knows about this one except us, and the girls"

Sirius' face was aghast, and Frank was looking shocked. I turned around slowly, wondering what danger could be behind this door on the third floor. A three headed dog? A giant spider?

It was worse. So much worse.

It was Andromeda. With Edward Tonks.

He had his arms around her, and they were too busy snogging to notice we had even come in the room.

Sirius made a noise that sounded like a strangled cat. I put my hand on his arm, and I could feel the tension of every muscle in his body.

Andie looked up.

You could see the exact word that went through her head at that point.

_Shit._

"S-S-Sirius" she stammered "It's…it's not what it l-looks like"

"Yes is damn well is!" snarled Sirius, pulling his wand out of his robes. He threw my hand off his arm.

"No, Sirius, you don't understand"

"I _trusted _you, Andie. You."

"I know, but-"

"I told you everything. I told you as much as I told _James"_

"But Sirius-"

"Shut _up _Andie! I told you everything, about my family, about my childhood. _Everything. _I trusted you so implicitly, and this is what you go and do? What the hell, Andie"

"Sirius-"

"You know one thing I learned from my family, Andie? One thing that could be useful?"

"N-no…"

"The darkest curses that you will ever hear" Sirius snarl was so guttural, it was almost Animalistic.

He pointed his wand at her and started muttering

"_Re-"_

"Sirius!" I jumped in front of him, grabbing his arms, looking directly into his eyes. What I saw scared me. Black eyes, like his name, empty of humanity.

"James, move out of the way"

"No, Sirius"

"_James"_

"I'm not going to let you, Sirius." His arms struggled against my grip, but I was stronger "I won't let you live up to the Black name"

"But I want to" I could see Sirius in there somewhere, he had to be in there.

Didn't he?

"No, you don't, Sirius. You wanna be like Bellatrix? You wanna be like that bitch?"

"She'd give Andie what she deserved"

"Mate, she cheated on you. Hardly warrants the hag bitch from hell"

"But-"

"Just walk away"

"But I-"

"Do you want to end up like Regulus will? Because face it mate, he's going to be a dark one, isn't he? You want to be dark?"

Sirius stared at me.

"No" he answered after a long silence.

"Good. Now let me deal with these two"

I turned to them, stuck two fingers up at them, then pointed my wand and said

"_Blocco __Spauracchio!"_

The bat bogey hex. Nice look on Andie.

We walked out. Just as we reached the door, Sirius turned round and said

"By the way, Andie; you're dumped"

****

We reached the common room within minutes, silent. Lily ran up to us, Alice in close tow.

"Have you seen Andie? We can't find her anywhere!" Lily asked us.

Then she stopped. She was met with, instead of the three concerned faces she had evidently been expecting, three faces of thunder.

"W-what happened?" she asked.

Sirius went to sit down in his favourite chair. I motioned for Frank to follow him, taking Alice with them.

"Don't mention Andromeda around Sirius"

"Why? James, what's going on?"

"She cheated on him"

"What?"

"She cheated on him. Christ Lily, do you need me to spell it out for you? She cheated on him. Because she's a bitch"

"No, she's not"

"She cheated on Sirius!"

"Well, he's been basically ignoring her for the past month. You can't blame her for wanting some attention"

"She could have gone up to _Sirius_ and snogged _Sirius'_ face off! Not Edward freaking Tonks!"

"Edward Tonks?" Lily's forehead creased

"Yes. Edward Tonks. Still support Andromeda?"

"Yes"

"What? Why?"

"Because she's my friend"

"Sirius is your friend! And Andromeda _was _my friend, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let her off _cheating!"_

"Well, yeah, it was wrong of her, sure, but I still understand why she did it"

"You're just obsessed with it not being her fault"

"No, I'm not! It's you who's obsessed with it not being Sirius' fault!"

At this point we were both shouting, and the entire common room was staring at us, except Sirius, who was staring into the fire.

"Lily Evans-"

"What, James? Sirius is completely blameless? He did nothing? He didn't ignore her for basically month? He didn't care about you and your stupid pranks more than her?"

"Lily, you're so damn blind"

"No, I'm not. You're the one with glasses!"

"Merlin Lily, that is not an argument. How can you think having friends other than your girlfriend is worse than cheating?"

"How can you think that you're so perfect?"

"Lily, what the hell are you talking about? We're arguing about Sirius and Andromeda!"

"But this isn't about them, is it? This is about you and me! You always think your so damn smart, so good looking, so perfect. Well, James Potter, you're not. You are anything but perfect"

I just stood staring at her. Gobsmacked.

"Lily-"

"Save it, James. Tell Sirius. You two care about each other more than either of you ever cared about me or Andie. We have _nothing _more to say to each other"

And with that, she stalked off, towards the girls' dormitory, and I stormed off to the boys'.

Frank and Sirius followed me up, and we sat on the floor. Remus was back, sitting on his bed, reading yet another school book.

"What-" he started, seeing the state of us.

"Girls are bitches, Remus" sighed Sirius "Leave it at that"

****

**Oh no! Everybody's sad!**

**=(**

**And I'll be sad too, if I don't get any reviews…**

**Please review!!!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	25. Chapter 25: Thin Walls

**OMG IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**=O**

**I'm actually quite sad, this has been fun, but I'm going to do a second year chapter as well and hopefully on from there.**

**Oh, btw, I know in this story my characters have been acting about 5 years older than they are, and I'm really sorry. I do have excuses, but they're not that great. I'm just a dumbass, let's leave it at that.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Yet.**

**POVs:**

****

**Sirius' POV**

It was just a few hours after we'd found…_her…_and…_him…_

Okay, I'm not being exact, but I just can't bear to say either of _their _names.

Remus had packed my trunk, and Frank had packed James', because they both knew we'd mess it up and probably blow something up if we did it ourselves. Plus, we had just broken up with people in horrible ways and were not in the mood to pack trunks. Especially not me, knowing I'd have to go _home _this summer.

Shudder. My family.

But, we don't want to think about depressing subjects anymore, so lets brighten up. Erm…the train looks…nice.

It's no use. I have a depressing life at the moment.

I sat down in a random empty compartment, and the other three followed me in. James cast a spell at the door so no one would be able to come in, and we settled right in.

Me and James were chatting about possible pranks, and Frank and Remus (as usual) were reading.

It was boring, yes, but in a good way. It was peaceful really, calm. Our last day of first year; was it only in September I joined Hogwarts? It seemed like I'd lived there my whole life, yet also like it was only a day since that hat had been on my head, and I was begging it not to sort me into Slytherin.

And I m so damn glad it didn't.

One of the many advantages of Hogwarts was that none of my family were there. No Mum, no Dad. No _Regulus. _My brother, the biggest twat you will ever meet. Daddy's favourite and Mummy's special boy, the smarmy git. No, it would suck to see him again.

I was greatly dreading the day that boy came to Hogwarts. He would surely live up to the Black name and become a bloody Slytherin. The house of twats; he'd fit right in.

I was surprised, really, that he didn't have a halo around him on the family portrait. Mind you, I was still on that musty old thing, so obviously it didn't say much about real family.

To be honest, the only real family I've ever had was a boy a met on 1st September last year. James.

I looked across at him as he grinned mischievously and plotted a prank. Yeah, I was best mates with all the Marauders, but James was more than that. He was my brother.

Obviously not my real brother, god knows any parents who had us two together would have gone mad by our fourth birthday, but maybe in another sense. He was more a brother to me than Regulus had ever been.

"Sirius, mate, are you okay? Did you even listen to that prank? It was brilliant!"

"Sorry James, zonked out. What were you saying?"

"Well, we'd need a lot of flour and the enough squirrels to overrun the entire dungeon, but really I think this one's a good one"

Flour? Squirrels? It was madness!

"Sounds good. What do we do?" I asked him, grinning that same mischievous grin he was wearing.

"Well, we-"

There was a loud laugh from the next carriage, and my head whipped round. I _knew _that laugh.

"That was-" started James

"An-" I couldn't even say it.

Frank looked up

"Do you mean Andromeda?" He asked, oblivious.

We just gaped at each other, open mouthed.

****

**Remus' POV**

It was a truly ridiculous sight; the four of us were all squished up together against the wall of the carriage, listening in on the conversation of Lily, Andromeda, Alice and Edward Tonks.

From what we could tell, Lily and Alice were on the far side of the carriage, whereas Andromeda and Tonks were on the closest side to us.

"_Teddy, stop it!" _Andromeda giggled, in a manner that clearly expressed that she didn't want him to stop whatever he was doing _"You shouldn't kiss me in front of Lils and Allie, they're not used to it!"_

Lils? _Allie? _I have **never **heard anyone call them that. I could almost see Alice's face; we'd learnt in our second week that she didn't like people shortening her name; but that's a story for another day.

Sirius had his fists clenched, and his jaw was set hard. It looked like he might storm in and cast Avada Kadavra on Tonks any second. James put his hand Sirius' arm.

"Don't want to be like darling Bella, do we?" said James lightly, but I could read the tension in his voice.

Sirius' arm relaxed slightly, and a little colour returned to his face. We returned to the wall.

"_Dromeda, your hair's just gorgeous today" _said Tonks

"Are you sure he's not gay?" I whispered, and got a few chuckles in response. Besides, who calls Andromeda "_Dromeda"? _Freak.

Mind you, when it came to being a freak I couldn't exactly talk.

"_Teddy, you're so sweet" _Andromeda replied, and we heard her kiss him. Sirius tensed again.

"_Lily, I think I'm in love" _Alice's voice cut through the make out sesh.

"_Of course Alice" _sighed Lily

"_I'm serious, Lily! I've never felt this way about someone before"_

"_Alice, you're 12. Truly, I'm not that shocked. Especially as Frank's your first boyfriend"_

"_You know what I mean Lily"_

"_Sure, whatever"_

I noticed that Frank was looking all happy and blushing. I shook my head at him, and carried on listening.

"_Well, what bit you, Lily? I thought you were glad you broke up with James?"_

"_I am"_

"_Well, you're not acting like it"_

"_Shut up Alice. We were never good together anyway. I didn't really like him anymore"_

Now James was completely tense, and looked like he was going to go in and either snog Lily's face off or curse her into oblivion.

Personally, I felt that the second option was the safest for him, because Lily was a brilliant witch and would be more than capable of defending herself. However, we all knew that Lily didn't half have a temper on her, and if James went in and snogged her face off, he would be in life threatening danger.

"_What? Last week you were blushing when he came into the room"_

"_Because I thought I was a really bad person for still going out with him when I didn't like him. Anyway, who says I was blushing because of him anyway?"_

"_WHAT? You like someone else"_

"_Maybe"_

"_It's Remus isn't it?" _Oh, shit _"You always talk to him, and he isn't exactly ugly…"_

I turned to my friends. James was muttering and staring at me crazily, Frank looked kind of pissed and Sirius looked annoyed because I may possibly have stolen his best friend's girlfriend's heart.

Again: oh, shit.

"_Remus? No! Remus is just a friend. I probably won't be talking to him much anyway, because he's such a close friend of James"_

James still looked a tad annoyed, but wasn't muttering anymore. Frank still looked pissed.

"_Come on, Lily. You know as well as I do that you do still like James. A smidge?"_

"_No, Alice! We were never even good together. I. Do. Not. Like. James. Potter. He's an arrogant prat. Anyway, now we're not going out, I can be friends with Sev again"_

"_WHAT? That __**twat**__?"_

"_Alice, don't be mean"_

"_Lily, he nearly killed you"_

"_He was _trying _to kill James. In fact, if James hadn't been a coward and ducked, I wouldn't have got hit"_

"_Lily. You cannot say that. It was a human reaction. When some maniac greasy haired freak casts a life threatening spell at you, you duck. Simple. In fact, you should probably learn that one"_

"_I doubt I'll be fighting dark wizards in the future"_

"_Oh, yes, you're going to be a famous wizard barrister. How many times do I have to tell you that they don't exist?"_

"_But, Alice…"_

We leaned away from the carriage wall, sensing the end of the conversation concerning us. Frank and I went to sit across from James and Sirius.

There was a full minute of silence; unheard of when all the marauders were together, even in our sleep.

Then James looked up.

"Well, there's only one thing to do now, isn't there?"

We all looked at him.

"Marauders; we have a start of term prank to plan!"

Oh, life is good.

****

**Well? What did you think of the finale?!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**

**PS REVIEW!!!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	26. Chapter 26: Link

**Hello Everyone!!!  
**

**I hope you've enjoyed reading It Was All Snivellus' Fault!**

**Here's the link for the sequel: ****It Was All James' Fault**

**Enjoy!!**

**x-Mary-x-Alice-x**


End file.
